- Hitman studio IO Interactive has unveiled its highly anticipated 007 First Light in a big way at this year’s PlayStation State of Play, dazzling fans with a promising cinematic trailer.
- Based on the novels and short stories of Ian Fleming, the forthcoming video game will serve as an origin story for the iconic MI6 agent we know as James Bond, who chases his 00 status.
- 007 First Light release date (Australia): 2026.
It beggars belief that we’ve yet to receive a decent James Bond video game since GoldenEye, especially considering the sheer wealth of materials on hand and core pillars of gameplay (espionage, infiltration, shooting). But if any operation can rectify this, it’s Hitman franchise developer IO Interactive.
For the past half-decade, the Danish heavyweights have been toiling away at an expansive origin story – a brand-new tale inspired by the collective works of Ian Fleming – in which a young James Bond embarks upon a globetrotting mission to earn his licence to kill from MI6 (the double 0 in 007).
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The footage provided today alludes to this mission involving a rogue agent dubbed 009, who is a “master manipulator” with an endgame “we won’t see coming.”
“Follow James Bond as a young, resourceful and sometimes reckless recruit in MI6’s training program, and discover an origin story of the world’s most famous spy,” reads the official game description.
“After a heroic act, young Naval air crewman James Bond is offered to join the newly revived Double 0 program. But when a mission to stop a rogue agent ends in tragedy, he must join forces with his reluctant mentor John Greenway to expose a deep conspiracy and stop a looming coup at the heart of the State.”
While the cinematic trailer has showcased a modern update to classic characters such as M, Q, and Moneypenny, the foundations of Bond appear to be very much intact. From the tragedy of his parents’ mountain-side deaths that made him an orphan at 11 and British boarding school troubles that followed, to the OMEGA product placement and that canonically faithful cheek scar.
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The extent of the gameplay, built on the Glacier Engine, has yet to be revealed. Though given this is IO Interactive we’re dealing with, expect stealth or brute-force playthroughs, costume changes, gadgets, and plenty of satisfying combat. Everything we loved about Hitman 3 and more.
Now if only the filmic side of the franchise could finally get its act together…
007 First Light arrives on Windows, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and of course, PlayStation 5 sometime in 2026 (specific release date for Australia or otherwise TBA) – keep an eye out here for confirmation on gameplay and price, and check out the cinematic trailer above.
