https://www.gamesradar.com/007-first-light-guide/
By Oscar Taylor-Kent, Bradley Russell Contributions from Heather Wald last updated 17 June 2025
Project 007 is now called 007 First Light, and its explosive full reveal shows car chases, stealth, crocs, and more as it heads for a 2026 release date
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007 First Light is the official title for the upcoming third-person adventure from Hitman developer IO Interactive. Previously known as Project 007, the game that will see you play as a young James Bond is set to arrive sometime in 2026, with our very first proper look at the “standalone re-imagining” of his origin coming during the State of Play showcase in the Summer Game Fest 2025 schedule.
Along with a dedicated IOI showcase, we also sat down with some the developers behind First Light to learn more. With lots of details to tuck into and a trailer that shines a light on what’s in store, the studios take on 007 promises to be one of the biggest new games in the pipeline by letting us embody the iconic role in various ways.
With a story set outside of the established canon that we see how the MI6 agent came to be, with some other classic characters joining the fray, we can expect to play around with cutting-edge spy gadgets and guns, and get behind the wheel. And as it’s coming from the studio behind some of the best stealth games of all-time, we can also expect to put our spy skills to use. With lots of actors taking on the role in the best Bond movies, it’ll be interesting to see IO Interactive’s take when the game arrives next year. For a full recap of everything we know so far about 007: First Light, read on below.
We should keep in mind that “Project 007” was always the working title for this new Bond game. But while the title has now changed, we know that the game’s DNA likely won’t. The studio has described the upcoming games as, “Featuring a wholly original Bond story, players will step into the shoes of the world’s favorite Secret Agent to earn their 00 status in the very first James Bond origin story.” It includes the developer’s talents for stealth shown in Hitman, of course, but dials up the action as well to deliver a classic rip-roaring Bond adventure.
007 First Light’s release date was recently revealed to be sometime in 2026, meaning we won’t be waiting as long as we first feared. Or, like Bond earning his ’00’ status, it won’t be long until the start of 007 First Light, but that first release date is just the start of the adventure.
“This is just the beginning of our journey with 007,” Hakan Abrak, CEO & co-owner of IO Interactive confirmed during the announcement. It fits with what we’ve seen from the studio before, as the live tail on Hitman 3 and Hitman: World of Assassination was incredibly important for that game. It seems we may see more like this from 007 First Light. The good news is, it won’t be long at all until we can earn the numerals for ourselves.
