We are less than a month away from release so we’ve taken a look at all the intel dropped for 007: First Light so far.

007: First Light releases on 27 May 2026 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series consoles. First Light will release on Nintendo Switch 2, but this will be later on in the year.

It is the first original 007 game release since 2012’s 007 Legends, and there’s a lot of hype and excitement for the game. It seems like IO Interactive, fabled Hitman developers, have gone all in to bring us the return ot videogames Bond deserves. Whether it’s Mission Accomplished or not remains to be seen, but we won’t have long before reviews drop.

You can tell the love and excitement that’s coming from the developers themselves, as there’s been a lot of information shared in the run up to release. So to help prepare for it’s release, we’ve done our best to gather all the intel we can on 007: First Light and bring it all into one place ahead of launch.

Now, try to behave, 007, we’ve got a lot to cover.

The Name’s Bond, James Bond

007: First Light was officially revealed just under a year ago, though we knew of Project 007 that IO Interactive were working on before that.

The game’s focus is on a young and reckless James Bond, a new recruit who’s “a bullet without a target”. The reveal trailer paints a bleak picutre of a young agent, full of potential, not abiding by the rules, causing chaos and butting heads with officials. A perfect 00 Agent candidate.

His parents, died on a mountain, sacrificing themselves to save him at 11 years old. Bouncing across boarding schools, he was highly intelligent but difficult to manage. A similar experience followed him as he went in to the Navy.

First Light explores Bond’s training and origins as the famous 007. He is asked to join the recently revived Double 0 program. A mission to stop rogue agent, 009, goes badly, and Bond must partner with his mentor Greenway to expose a conspiracy and stop a full-blown coup!

The Name’s Interactive, IO Interactive

Legendary developers IO Interactive, are leading the charge with this brand new “standalone” James Bond title. Fabled for the excellent HItman franchise, IOI are no stranger to stealth, assassination, gadgets and luxurious locales. They’re keen that people don’t see this as a Hitman game in a James Bond skin. Though of course, what they’ve learned over their tenure with the Hitman franchise will certainly add to First Light’s gameplay.

Familiar to Hitman fans, 007: First Light is promising the ‘creative approach’. Where you can approach your objective in a number of ways. IO talk about the differences between Agent 47 in Hitman and Bond. 47 needs to be patient and meticulous with his intel. Bond has the charm and quick-wittedness where you can talk you’re way out of (and into) trouble.

It’s clear that the team are truly excited about working on this IP, and care deeply about getting it right. All the things you’d expect from a Bond game will be there; Aston Martin’s, Land Rovers, Omega watches, gadgets, Bond girls, the Bond theme, exotic locations, and, of course, spy craft.

IOI believe that fans of the novels and the films will be happy with what they’ve done with the “IO reimagining of the Bond origin story”. They explain in an interview with PC Gaming Show that they didn’t want to “cherry pick” the best qualities, or things they liked from different iterations of Bond, they wanted to make something original.

In describing the character, we will see a young, naive Bond, he doesn’t know all the things we know about him yet, and is more energetic, compared to colder, measured Bond’s we might see elsewhere.

Gameplay

Gameplay in 007: First Light promises visceral, brutal hand-to-hand combat, strong stealth features, and of course plenty of gunplay.

IO Interactive revealed an extended look at gameplay from the first mission in First Light. The mission opens up with Bond driving through a luscious environment in Slovakia. Bond arrives at a mansion, The Grand Carpathian, Bond posing as the driver to get in with his teammates (Bond isn’t happy about it).

It isn’t long before something seems amiss, and Bond goes to investigate (agains the wishes of his commander (of course). Security won’t let him into the buidling, where he is chasing a suspicious bellhop, so he needs to find another way in. Open windows, balconies, wheelbarrows, all provide potential opportunities. You can use your watch to scan the surrounding area to highlights these opportunities.

Luring out a guard using a sprinkler, Bond sneaks into a restricted area. We see use of a tranquiliser dart, to subdue a guard. By way of a found lighter, setting fire to some dried leaves and climbing around some ledges, Bond manages to get into mansion, and the party.

Stop Touching You Ear…

Surveilling the party, searching for the bellhop, and avoiding his boss, Bond, works his way to the bar, to enquire about the bellhop. We jump forward to 009 escaping in a sports car, Bond in pursuit (Aston Martin, naturally), with a French intelligence officer. The chase sequence looks fun, with some reckless driving, taking shortcuts, careening through the environemt, and closing the gap on your target.

Reacihng the abandoned car, Bond ends up on foot, in pursuit of a plane that is trying to take off. It isn’t long before you’re being attacked, and a full-blown gunfight takes place. You can use the environment to take out bridges, explode barrels and deal with multiple enemies.Combat seems to be a mix of hand-to-hand and gunplay. If an enemy gets too close, you can grapple them, and throw them back before finishing them off with your weapon.

There seems to be a lot of versatility and variety in the combat. Out of ammo? Throw the weapon at an enemy to disorientate them as your approach for some melee combat. Vehciles bearing down on you? Shoot an nearby barrel to spread oil and set it ablaze, taking out the vehicle.

After the combat, Bond wind up on the wing of the plane, fighting enemies as the plane begins to ascend. Ending up inside the plane, Bond continues his pursuit of 009. Messing with the planes controls, Bond tries to force the plane to land. It isn’t long before Bond is falling through the air, seeking out a parachute before it’s too late. It’s all very dramatic, and very Bond.

Developer Commentary

The last two minutes of the video below, takes us through another section of the game, with developer’s commentating on some of the skills and mechanics you’ll employ in the game. A walkthrough a gala event in Kensington. They highlight how you’ll seek out opportunities by listening out for clues from other characters. You can also use multiple routes, and the environment to try different approaches.

There’s multiple ways for Bond to achieve his goals, but you’ll need to be creative in how you go about it. This is that Hitman DNA coursing through 007: First Light. They show multiple approaches to the same scenario. A heavy-handed combat approach, and a sneaky sneaky stealth approach.

We also get a look at your watch, a gift from Q, it has the aforementioned scan ability. It can also be used as a laser that lets you use it against enemies, or activate traps or environment hazards. It has a smoke bomb too, giving you a conceal to take out enemies. You can also hit enemies with a dart that weakens their resolve, allowing you to manupulate otherwise strong willed targets.

Hand-to-hand combat can see you taking on multiple enemies, using parries, throws, and direct hits. You can also use environmental takedowns and items to deal with antagonist foes. When enemies are armed, the ‘Licence to Kill’ flourish appears, letting you go live with firearms. Bond can also use his gadgets and tech in combat too. Bond can use his instincts on enemies, or envrionmental objects to slow combat and pinpoint weakspots.

Rules of Spycraft

• Rule #01: Blend in – you’ll use Bond’s quick wit to bluff your way through certain scenarios. Bluffing consumes instinct (like an energy meter), and you can’t use it on more experienced enemies.
• Rule #02: Come Prepared – the Q-Lens highlights key environmental and items in the field, you can use your Q-Watch to interact wtih them. You’ll have your phone that shoots darts, and a smoke pod to create diversions and cover, and your earbuds can temporarily stun targets with a flash of light. More gadgets are promised, over the course of the game.
• Rule #03: Improvise – be aware of your surrounding and be ready to change your tactics at a moments notice. There looks to be plenty of envrionmental objects that could be used to give an edge. Depending on the enemies you face, Bond will have to use gadgets and the environment to expose them, armoured enemies will need this. Bond can hone his skills using the Tacsim training, managed by Dr. Tan. These are VR training challenges with specific rules and parameters. Completing these give Bond XP points to upgrade weapons. More Tacsim sessions plan to be added post-launch.

Cast of Characters

007: First Light’s cast has some notable famous faces:

• Patrick Gibson will be playing James Bond. An Irish actor, he is knwon for playing Dexter Morgan in ‘Dexter: Original Sin’.
• Priyanga Burford will play M. Priyanga returns to the Bond franchise after appearing in Daniel Craig’s final Bond film, No Time to Die.
• Alistair Mckenzie plays the iconic Q. Alistair features in Andor, The Crown, Dracula, and Black Mirror among others.
• Kiera Lester plays Moneypenny and has appeared in Death in Paradise and Maigret.
• Lennie James is your mentor, Greenway. If you’ve watched The Walking Dead, you’ll recognise Lennie as Morgan.
• Lenny Kravitz will be playing Bawma, the largest black-market dealer in the Western Hemisphere. Kravitz, of course, being a well known American singer, musicians songwriter, record producer and actor.
• Gemma Chan plays Dr. Selina Tan, a passionate academic with a background in psychology. Her role is crucial in Bond getting his 00 status. Gemma has appeated in Diablo IV, Marvel’s Eternals and Captain Marvel, amongst other things.
• Noémie Nakai will play Miss Roth. Noémie features in Tokyo Vice and Army of Thieves.

The Aston Martin Valhalla

Bond’s car, if he gets 00 status, will be the Aston Martin Valhalla. A hybrid twin-turbo V8 engine with over 1000 horsepower and plenty of modifications, such as built-in machine guns turrets.

Q-Branch Omega Watch

Combine precision, style, and utility with Bond’s OMEGA watch in 007 First Light. Developed by Q-Branch to give you the advantage in the field, this gadget is an essential tool when it comes to finding opportunities in the environment and giving Bond the tools he needs to navigate different situations.

As mentioned above, it features a number of helpful features including laser and environment scanning.

Bond Theme and Title Sequence

It wouldn’t be Bond if we didn’t have an epic Bond theme and a suitably epic title sequence. 007: First Light’s Bond theme comes from Lana Del Ray.

You can watch the title sequence below, and it feels proper like Bond!

Beyond the Light

A series of focused dev diaries, there are four episodes with a different focus on each one; gameplay, cast & character, story, and music.

Episode 1: Gameplay

There is a focus on encouraging the player to feel creative as they play the game. The stealth and combat has been balanced to be on “equal footing” rather than leaning into one or the other. They wanted to ensure there was a way to maintain your stealth if you get spotted, and bluffing allows you to do that in many occasions (but not all).

They commented on Bond’s use of gadgets in the movies, how he would often usse them at the last minute, often in the wrong context, but it works. The devs wanted to give you a level of uncertainty about gadgets in First Light, allowing you to decide how you’ll use your tools.

In combat, although Bond can take cover, the devs are keen that 007: First Light isn’t a cover shooter. They want the player to move around and use the environment to your advantage. You won’t be able to go in guns blazing, unless threatened, this is where your ‘Licence to Kill’ is enabled and you can use firearms for lethal force.

Episode 2: Cast & Characters

Bond hasn’t been inspired by just what you see in the films, the novels by Ian Fleming also play a crucial role in shaping the character. Notably, Bond’s facial scar is one that people have spotted early on.

The familiar names you’d expect are all there; M, Q and Miss Moneypenny. Moneypenny this time is a field analyst so will be who you hear in your ear piece in the field. This allows the character of Moneypenny to be fleshed out, and gives Bond more opportunities to chat too.

Alistair MacKenzie who plays Q, speaks of the experience in the field First Light’s Q has, and how Q will be imparting his teachings on Bond.

The devs talk about their process for designing the character, and how it starts with a bio from the narrative team. Presence was super important in developing Bawma as the villain; this includes his striking appearance, including his yellow suit, inspired by poisonous frogs (the colour being a symbol of danger).

Episode 3: Story

In creating the story, the origin story of Bond was always a central aspect of the narrative. Bond is 26 years old, naive, innoncent, and hopeful. He isn’t jaded yet, and hasn’t seen a million explosions to not want to walk away from it, he wants to look at it.

There’s a theme of purpose and belonging, questioning whether Double 0 agents are necessary in the age of advanced technology. The story puts Bond at the centre, and we see how he will affect those around him, including how MI6 operates.

Episode 4: Music

There’s plenty of realistic sound effects, captured from real world things (such as Aston Martins). The music is compromised of live musicians, led by the IOI in-house composing team ‘The Flight’. The dev diary is a fascinating look at the creative process and how the team understood and created the sound for First Light, and the importance of maintaining that Bond sound.

A theme that persisted in developing the sound was that Bond should earn his themes, it is his origin story after all. They’ve designed each mission sonically so that it feels like its own record.

The entire brass sections of the game were recorded in the fabled Abbey Road Studios in London. A lot of the players in First Light have performed in previous Bond games and films.

PC Specs and Features

You can check out the full details in the image below, which includes minimum, recommended “enthusiast”, and “ultra” specs.

Alongside the PC specs, a number of PC exclusive features have been detailed which include:

• Uncapped framerates
• NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 Dynamic multi frame generation & super resolution
• Path tracing & DLSS ray reconstruction (this won’t be available on launch, and is aiming for Summer 2026)
• In-depth customisation options

It should be noted that DLSS is not going to be available for any specs other than the Ultra level. So miminimum, recommended, and entuhsiast tiers won’t have DLSS as an option.

Console Performance

It’s been confirmed that the PS5 Pro will run at 60FPS. Base PS5s and the Xbox Series X will include a 60FPS Performance Mode and a 30 FPS Quality mode.

Details of the Switch 2 version have yet to come out, but this doesnt’ release till later in the year.

Accessibility

IOI has highlighted the “global accessibility options” coming to the game. This is always great to see a developer highlighting what they are doing to make gaming more accessible to as many people as possiblle.

• Audio profiles
• Subtitles with customisation options
• Input remapping
• Input adjustments (sensitivity, deadzones, invert)
• Audio output options
• Menu narration (English only)
• Input activation options (toggle vs. hold)
• Autocomplete for certain actions and quick time events

Rewards, Bonuses and Incentives (Oh My)

There are a LOT of preorder goodies and incentives on offer if you’re looking to get involved with 007: First Light from the off.

Wishlist rewrds

After the reveal of 007: First Light, it was revealed that a number of rewards would become available if the game reached a certain number of wishlists.

• Milestone 1: 500,000 wishlists – unlocks the Savanna Bloom unique skin and animated wallpapers
• Milestone 2: 1,000,000 wishlists (totally said this like Dr. Evil) – Silvertone gadget skin and a streaming overlay
• Milestone 3: 1,250,000 wishlists – Operation Riviera deluxe skin and a developer AMA.
• Milestone 4: 1,5000,000 wishlists – a ‘secret reward’, which turned out to the Gilded Tux skin.

IO Interactive Account

At the time of writing, all milestones have been achieved. To access them, you need to log into / create an IO Interactive account.

Having an account will also earn you the “Gilded Wraith” weapon and the “On Duty” outfit for Bond.

Editions

There are four editions of 007: First Light available.

Standard Edition

Available on: PC, PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series (Switch 2 version releasing later)

Includes:

• Base game
• If preordered, includes free deluxe upgrade that includes the preorderr bonuses and 24 hours early access (early access with digital pre-orders)

Specialist Edition (Physical only)

Available on: PC, PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series (Switch 2 version releasing later)

Includes:

• Base game
• If preordered, includes free deluxe upgrade that includes the preorder bonuses.
• Includes the Classic Tuxedo skin

Collector’s Edition (Physical only)

Available on: PC, PS5, Xbox Series

Includes:

• Base game
• If preordered, includes free deluxe upgrade that includes the preorder bonuses.
• Lifesize Mask Prop replica
• Obsidian gold outfit
• Steel game case

Legacy Edition (Physical only)

Available on: PC, PS5, Xbox Series

Includes:

• Base game
• If preordered, includes free deluxe upgrade that includes the preorder bonuses.
• Obsidian gold outfut
• Golden Gun Figurine
• Golden Gun weapon skin
• Steel game case

Limited Edition DualSense

Playing on PS5? A 007: First Light limiited edition DualSense controller is available to preorder. Sporting the classic Bond gold, it also features the 007: First Light emblazoned on the touch pad.

Preorder bonuses

Preorering the game gives you a free upgrade to the Deluxe Edition of the game. This nets you several extras as well as 24h early access.

• 4 exclusive outfits, including:
  • Desert Explorer outfit
  • Day of the Dead outfit
  • Silent Anchor outfit
  • Gentleman Operator outfit
• Agent Mark’s weapon skin
• The ‘Gleaming Items’ pack

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How excited are you for 007: First Light? If we receive any further intel, we’ll be sure to drop it in here! If there’s anything officially announced that we’ve missed, let us know in the comments below!