IO Interactive’s 007 First Light reimagines James Bond as a young and carefree spy

The creators of the Hitman series have developed their open-ended and action-driven sandbox style over several games, and now they’re taking their signature gameplay to the world of James Bond. With 007 First Lightdeveloper IO Interactive created the origin story of a British spy that goes global, showing how he went from daring missions early in his career to eventually becoming the world’s most infamous agent.

Before being revealed at the Game Awards of 007 First LightThe newest villain, played by Lenny Kravitz, has seen the latest installments of James Bond’s origin story as a super spy. We also spoke with director of cinematography and storytelling Martin Emborg about the game’s main inspiration, how Bond’s origins fit into decades of mythology, and why a good spy story is timeless.

“What I think is the job of doing the history of a character like James Bond, is that everyone knows the character and who he’s going to be,” said Emborg. “But how does he become this character? I think that’s an interesting challenge from a storytelling perspective.”

While other Bond films and novels have touched on the early years of the iconic character, 007 First Light it will be the first attempt at a real, modern origin story. As a new MI6 recruit, this James Bond, portrayed by Patrick Gibson, is inexperienced and daring, which can lead to other jobs going off the rails. He still has a certain cunning, and almost supernatural levels of charm and creativity. This presents a strong archetype of open-world gameplay where players will explore tightly designed worlds with dozens of tasks and objectives to tackle – however players see fit.

While IO Interactive’s Hitman series delves into espionage, what really separates James Bond from Agent 47 is that he’s a very social character. The social aspect will play a big role in how players can find ways to disrupt, or even taunt with charisma to sneak into places. Emborg explained that James Bond’s intelligence makes him a compelling character for a video game, especially one that is about player agency.

“Bond is a talented character,” says Emborg. “We want to give the player an opportunity to get that agent to say, ‘Oh, I’m going to talk to that guy,’ or, ‘I’m going to go beat that guy,’ or, ‘I could probably crawl up to a closed area to sneak in.’ Having that sense of agency is essential if you want to deliver the full Bond experience. Obviously, the social aspect of that is important; Embedding yourself and getting into society is a big part of the Bond experience.”

Emborg said the rhythm of the James Bond game is different than the Hitman title, although espionage, infiltration and deception are central to both.

“We have a lot of experience with that obviously from doing Hitman, but there’s a lot of Bond gear,” he said. “Yes, the nature of this game is different. We have sandbox areas where you make open-ended decisions, but we also have other levels where there is a chase or a set-piece encounter, and then it opens up again. So we coined the name, having a breathtaking game. It’s a very different way to play this type of game that we usually do, so we’ve strengthened our toolbox for this game.”

In many ways, 007 First Light it is a matter that can only be discussed in an interview format. The new game will be based on many of the novels and films of its plot, and includes many familiar characters seen throughout the franchise – such as MI6 assistant Moneypenny (played by Kiera Lester), the big gadget and quartermaster Q (played by Alastair Mackenzie), and the leader of the group M (Priyanga Burford).

But like any single Bond story, First Light it has its own set of original characters. In addition to James Bond’s MI6 advisor John Greenway (portrayed by Lennie James), the new criminal, black market smuggler and warlord Bawma, will be played by Lenny Kravitz. It’s a typical setting for a Bond experience for sure, but within the context of a video game – made by IO Interactive – it really does seem to tap into the Bond legend more than other games.

From the demos and gameplay trailers we’ve seen, IO Interactive looks to be channeling the style and story from decades of Bond with its modern reboot of the character. From deep cuts to In His Majesty’s Secret Garden – one of the best and underrated Bond movies – and You Only Live Twice, 007 First Light looking at it with a keen eye to respect what happened before.

“In the beginning, it was very much like a maelstrom of [ideas]then all of a sudden something comes up, and you build a story around it,” said Emborg. He continued, “I like to do these things and with great respect for the subject matter. It is a privilege to work in this space. James Bond is one of the few IPs that isn’t finished yet, in my opinion. We have room to come up with new takes, and he’s a character that has seen many versions over the years. “

Until now, 007 First Light it has not only the structure of a great Bond game but also a realistic simulation of the life of a super spy. Although previous Bond games like Goldeneye again All or Nothing are well-loved classics, incorporating the traditional video game shooting spectacle. 007 First Light is looking to lean on the core of the Hitman games in its adaptation of James Bond, finally giving players the opportunity to explore the social aspects of espionage work on a grander scale.

007 First Light will arrive on March 27, 2026, for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.