IO Interactive has unveiled its upcoming James Bond video game, 007 First Light, which is scheduled for release in 2026. The game was announced during the State of Play livestream by Sony and will launch on the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S platforms.
Since 2021, IO Interactive has been the developer of the Hitman franchise, which was launched in 2000. The company's latest title, Hitman: World of Assassination (buy here on Amazon), has been released with the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 console. The company is collaborating with the current intellectual property owner of the James Bond franchise, Amazon MGM Studios, which bought the IP in 2022 for $8.5 billion.
IO Interactive's origin game will incorporate the company's action and stealth gameplay into the James Bond world with its third-person game. Long-time characters from the movies, including M, Q, and Moneypenny, and new characters such as mentor John Greenway will be present alongside Bond to help the new 26-year old recruit develop into a heroic MI6 spy capable of saving the world.
Interested readers can sign up to be notified of updates while receiving two free game items, a Gilded Wrath gold-colored pistol skin and an On Duty all-black turtleneck, by creating an IO Interactive account at the game website. It remains to be seen whether the new spy will be as iconic as Sean Connery or forgettable as George Lazenby in the history of Bond movies (buy them here on Amazon).