Bond (James Bond) makes his long-awaited return to video games in I.O Interactive’s ambitious stealth-action spy thriller, 007 First Light, on May 27, 2026. While surveilling multiple Dev Diaries, the recent Rules of Spycraft trailer, and global preview event, we’ve compiled everything you can look forward to in the legendary spy’s next adventure.
No-one Does Crowd Work Like I.O Interactive
James Bond is a radically different proposition compared to Agent 47. When a guard spots James Bond trespassing, they can request the agent to surrender for peaceful escorting. Showing any resistance will encourage the nearby guards to fight back and raise the alarm. James will remain compromised until every alarmed threat is neutralized and the coast is clear.
Unlike Agent 47, Agent 007 can’t freely equip his lethal weapon unless he’s granted the licence to kill, which can happen whenever an enemy draws a firearm. Some gameplay sections will automatically grant James the lethal licence while other moments can have enemies pull firearms out during fist fights, especially when reinforcements are called.
Q-Labs ensures you’ll never leave empty-handed
Between missions, James Bond can visit the MI6 base to prepare himself. He can explore the secret facility to gain additional intel for his next mission or talk with friendly faces, including the most reliable scientist, Q.
It’s always important for Bond to visit QLabs to receive the most suitable gadgets for his upcoming missions. His mission loadout can only equip up to four tools, each using one of two types of resources. His preferred playstyle can let him equip more than two gadgets using one type of resource more than the other kind.
James Bond is always well-equipped with different devices in hand. The Q-Lens lets him pinpoint certain environmental objects that are interactable with his current gadget loadout, such as the Q-Watch for knocking out targets, Dart Phone for distractions, Smoke Pod for creating gas coverage, Smoke Mine for stunning targets, and much more.
Interacting with Bond’s surroundings will require different costs in his spyware resources. Some may not always function, especially against armored enemies with different resistances. Progressing the main story will let James earn new devices to give him greater opportunities.
Bond won’t always have a Licence to Kill
Instinct is the most special method for James Bond to confront his enemies. He can maneuver around guards by luring them away from their posts or quelling any tension with a bluff. These options do require different costs depending on the situation and intel, though they don’t work against hostiles that are more aware and informed, similar to enforcers in Hitman World of Assassination.
He can also use Instinct during the heat of combat to enhance his accuracy. Focus lets him slow down time when aiming his weapon to hit exposing weak points, such as human limbs or explosives. Instinct can regenerate from eligible actions, such as taking down certain targets stealthily.
First Light will be Bond’s first onscreen origin story
007 First Light is structured differently compared to other Agent 007 games by retracing back to the origins of James Bond. The game will centralize James’ early journey into the espionage role, including his military training. Both veterans and newcomers will enjoy the fresh, reimagined origins of Agent 007.
The in-game story revolves around Bond’s discovery and familiarity with the 00 agent role. This will involve him taking a case where the experienced 009 Agent goes seemingly awol, forcing Bond to give chase. His journey grows more serious when facing many dangerous adversaries, including Bawma, the largest Black Market dealer.
You’ll spend time at MI6 with your fellow agents
Working in the field isn’t a one-man job, especially when completing dangerous, lengthy missions as an upcoming 00 operative. This requires James Bond to cooperate with a cast of experienced allies from MI6.
007 First Light is more than just a coming-of-age story for James Bond, but for the 007 franchise. The game will reveal the growth of Bond’s significant developments with familiar characters, like Miss Moneypenny and M. It’s a good chance for any 007 fan and newcomer to engage with the established 007 cast while experiencing the game’s unique stories with original characters, like John Greenway.
Action set-pieces will go Uncharted-levels of crazy
One of the essential rules to becoming a 00 agent is to improvise at any moment to survive. Similar to Uncharted, 007 First Light will make multiple moments more action-packed when James Bond’s plans take a surprising turn. Due to his luck, he’s usually forced to improvise.
These in-game life-or-death scenarios can range from running through explosive gunfire, giving chase, or even parkouring through falling skyscrapers. It’s always best to pay attention when the current moment requires James Bond to react or set up a plan.
I.O Interactive will release content after May 27
007 First Light expands the espionage experience beyond the main story of the legendary agent with TacSim. It’s an optional mode that reformats the replayable missions with different objectives and modifiers, such as ending the mission during gunfire. It functions very similarly to Freelancer mode in Hitman World of Assassination, testing for the ideal spy with the in-game online leaderboard. Each mission is ranked with different tiers and challenges to complete. Completing the missions will grant experience points, which can unlock gadget upgrades, firearms, and even special outfits.
IO Interactive has confirmed that more content will be available post-launch. The developers will update the community with new plans to refresh the game in the near future.
007 First Light releases on May 27, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The Nintendo Switch 2 release has been delayed to late Summer 2026.
What do you think of 007 First Light this close to launch? Let us know in the comments down below and on our social media.
