007 First Light – What you need to know about the return of James Bond

✓ VideoGamer summary

• 007 First Light will be released on March 27, 2026.
• The title is available on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
• The expected retail price is $69.99/£59.99.
• Pre-order bonuses include 24-hour early access and a free Deluxe Edition Upgrade.

This article contains officially confirmed information combined with expert industry speculation, rumors, and analysis. We will update this page with the latest news as soon as it’s available.

It’s been well over a decade since Activision was unceremoniously stripped of its license to produce Bond games after the disastrous 2012 007 Legends, and even longer since the last good licensed Bond game – looking at you, GoldenEye. Wounds seem to have healed, though, as everyone’s favourite smooth-talking British spy is back in 007 First Light.

IO Interactive, known for its Hitman franchise, is at the helm this time around and aims to tell something of an origin story for Bond, tracing his early career steps as part of MI6. We’ve known about 007 First Light for over five years, but IO has recently ramped up its marketing, gifting us not just the first in-depth look at the game in action but also a confirmed release date. Here’s everything you need to know.

007 First Light release date

007 First Light is scheduled to release on March 27, 2026. The news was confirmed during a PlayStation State of Play in early September 2025 dedicated to IO Interactive’s upcoming spy thriller. A tantalising 30-minute showcase culminated with a release date reveal. This follows on from IO releasing the first trailer for Project 007 (the project’s initial codename) alongside an official title during the not-E3 June 2025 State of Play.

007 First Light gameplay and trailer analysis

We’ve been treated to three 007 First Light trailers so far, starting with an announcement trailer back in summer 2025. This was followed by a gameplay trailer and then a meaty 30-minute gameplay reveal, both in September 2025.

The announcement trailer is a typical, heavily rendered sizzle reel with an expositionary slant, depicting James Bond as a reckless but resourceful wildcard and a “bullet without a target”. Seeing his potential, MI6 has drafted him in to track down rogue agent 009.

The gameplay trailer offered a first look at the more granular moment-to-moment experience we can expect from 007 First Light. The video showcases Bond wielding an arsenal of weaponry and gadgets, performing daring acrobatics both on foot and in range of vehicles, and throwing out quips and one-liners at every chance. Alongside this, we caught a glimpse of stealthier portions reminiscent of Hitman, in which Bond can use the environment to his advantage.

Lastly, the half-hour 007 First Light gameplay reveal trailer walks us through the entirety of Bond’s first mission as he goes undercover in the glitzy Grand Carpathian hotel in Slovakia’s Tatra Mountains to find Agent 009. Using gadgets, tools, dialogue options, and a creative use of the environment to distract guards, along with daring traversal that feels more than a little like Uncharted, Bond makes his way into the hotel. 

One thing leads to another, and we’re off on a grand car chase leading to a secret base. With a licence to skill granted, Bond turns lethal, gunning down enemies and making an explosive nuisance of himself in tense, cinematic combat sequences, including a firefight on a plane mid take-off. It all ends with Bond plummeting to the earth without a parachute.

007 First Light pre-order bonus and expected price

007 First Light will be priced at $69.99 (£60) for those opting for the Standard Edition and $299.99 (£259.99) for the collector’s Legacy Edition, as confirmed by pre-orders going live in September 2025. Regardless of which version you go for, there is a pre-order bonus up for grabs. Over to a handy table for all the details:

Edition	Pre-Order Bonus
Standard Edition	• 24-hour early access • Free Deluxe Edition Upgrade: • Four outfits (Day of the Dead, Desert Explorer, Silent Anchor, Gentleman Operator) • Agent’s Mark weapon skin • Gleaming Pack gadget skin pack (Gleaming Lighter, Gleaming Earphones, Gleaming Dart Gun, and Gleaming Pen).
Specialist Edition	• Classic Tuxedo Skin • Free Deluxe Edition Upgrade: • Four outfits (Day of the Dead, Desert Explorer, Silent Anchor, Gentleman Operator) • Agent’s Mark weapon skin • Gleaming Pack gadget skin pack (Gleaming Lighter, Gleaming Earphones, Gleaming Dart Gun, and Gleaming Pen).
Legacy Edition	• Golden Gun Figurine • Obsidian Gold Suit & Golden Gun Weapon Skin • Steel Case • Free Deluxe Edition Upgrade: • Four outfits (Day of the Dead, Desert Explorer, Silent Anchor, Gentleman Operator) • Agent’s Mark weapon skin • Gleaming Pack gadget skin pack (Gleaming Lighter, Gleaming Earphones, Gleaming Dart Gun, and Gleaming Pen).

007 First Light cast

For those familiar with Ian Fleming’s Bond novels and the film franchise, 007 First Light is filled with familiar faces from the martini-guzzling man himself to MI6 chief M. Alongside these, IO has taken some creative liberties and is introducing a new set of original characters to further flesh out Bond’s early career origin story. 

Presumably thanks to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Eon Productions, IO has pulled together quite the list of big and small screen names. Here’s a quick breakdown of the confirmed 007 First Light cast so far:

• James Bond – Patrick Gibson
• M – Priyanga Burford
• Q – Alastair Mackenzie
• Miss Moneypenny – Kiera Lester
• John Greenway – Lennie James
• Miss Roth – Noémie Nakai
• Selina Tan – Gemma Chan

Why you should be excited for 007 First Light

007 First Light is the first James Bond game in over a decade, which in itself is exciting news for those partial to the long-running franchise. However, it’s all the more interesting that IO Interactive is handling development duties. Their Hitman series is largely considered one of the best video game depictions of high-stakes infiltration, assassination, and spy work. The series is famous for offering players a staggering degree of creativity and freedom in navigating through meticulously crafted and highly interactive sandboxes.

This design philosophy, coupled with the storied Bond IP, bodes extremely well for 007 First Light. All the signs are there that this isn’t a quick, cynical cash grab. Put differently, First Light is sending all the right signals that it will be an excellent game, regardless of your feelings about the IP.

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