When IO Interactive announced it was stepping into the world of James Bond with 007: First Light, fans of the studio’s celebrated Hitman series couldn’t help but wonder: would this new secret agent adventure simply be Agent 47 in a tuxedo, or would it offer something genuinely fresh? On September 18, 2025, gameplay director Andreas Krogh made it clear in an interview with PC Gamer, as cited by GamesRadar and Future, that IO Interactive is charting a bold new course—one where gunplay is not a last resort, but a core pillar of the Bond experience.
“In Hitman we viewed ranged combat as a last resort for most players, which made it fairly hard and for most players something they wanted to avoid,” Krogh explained. “This time around we have a character that invites ranged combat to be a viable option.” It’s a striking departure from the studio’s previous philosophy, where being spotted meant facing an army of relentless guards and often spelled doom for Agent 47. In Bond’s world, however, the odds—and the arsenal—are stacked a little differently.
IO Interactive, or IOI as it’s affectionately known, has set itself an ambitious challenge: to create the best weapon-handling system in its history. “First and foremost, we wanted to create a great system both mechanically and technically, but we also wanted it to feel fluid and responsive,” Krogh said. The goal is to ensure that whether players are sneaking through shadows or blazing through a firefight, the gameplay feels equally rewarding. If stealth fails, Bond doesn’t just have to run—he can stand his ground and shoot his way out, and it’s designed to be just as satisfying as pulling off the perfect silent takedown.
This isn’t just a tweak to game mechanics; it’s a fundamental shift in design philosophy. According to Krogh, “The aim is that even if you try to stealth and things go wrong, you will just handle the situation slightly different than what you set out to do, but you will still have a very satisfying experience shooting your way through.” In other words, 007: First Light is about flexibility and player agency, not punishing experimentation or failure.
The contrast with Hitman couldn’t be more stark. In IOI’s previous games, guns came with realistic handling—recoil, bullet drop-off, and the ever-present threat of overwhelming force if you were caught. It made ranged combat feel risky and, for many, impractical compared to the studio’s signature stealthy approach. But Bond is a different beast. He’s no stranger to stealth, but he’s also a “little more trigger happy than Agent 47,” as Future put it. That means IOI is investing heavily in making every firefight feel worthy of Britain’s most famous secret agent.
Of course, IOI is keen to reassure fans that 007: First Light isn’t just a reskinned Hitman—nor is it trying to be an Uncharted clone. “We have put effort into distancing 007: First Light from the Hitman series,” Krogh emphasized to PC Gamer. The studio is building a Bond game that stands on its own, blending the best of stealth and action, but with its own distinct flavor.
Music is another area where IOI is aiming for authenticity and innovation. Earlier this September, audio and missions director Dominic Vega revealed that players won’t hear the iconic James Bond theme song right away. Instead, Bond must earn his theme—and even his 007 codename—over the course of the campaign. “Throughout the campaign he grows, and he’s earning his number – and he’s earning his themes,” Vega explained. “Sixty years of Bond, there’s a lot of sonic iconography.”
To capture the essence of Bond’s legacy while pushing into new territory, IOI has enlisted the composer duo Joe Henson and Alexis Smith, known collectively as The Flight. “They’re a really great composer duo with some amazing credits and some amazing music,” Vega said. “They’re a perfect blend of the sort of orchestral mastery that is required for Bond while contributing something modern, something that players I think will attach on to as a fantastic foot forward for the 007 franchise.”
As for the game’s release, 007: First Light is set to launch on March 27, 2026, for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and the new Switch 2. Preorders are already live, with options ranging from standard and deluxe editions to a collector’s edition that comes complete with a golden gun—a cheeky nod to Bond’s cinematic history.
But what does all this mean for players? For one, it signals IOI’s commitment to delivering a Bond experience that feels both familiar and fresh. The studio’s willingness to overhaul its approach to combat, music, and progression suggests it’s not content to rest on its laurels. Instead, IOI is embracing the challenge of making every aspect of 007: First Light feel worthy of the legendary spy.
It’s a balancing act, to be sure. The stealthy, improvisational gameplay that made Hitman a favorite among fans isn’t going away. Players will still be able to sneak, disguise, and outwit their enemies. But now, when things go sideways, Bond can unleash a barrage of gunfire with confidence that the mechanics will support—rather than punish—such a choice. As Krogh put it, the experience is designed so that “you will still have a very satisfying experience shooting your way through.”
For longtime fans of IOI or newcomers drawn by the Bond name, there’s plenty to look forward to. The studio’s pedigree in crafting intricate levels and emergent gameplay remains intact, but with a renewed focus on making every moment—whether silent or explosive—feel like a page out of a Bond film.
In the end, 007: First Light is shaping up to be more than just another licensed game. It’s a statement of intent from IO Interactive: a promise to honor the past while forging a new path for one of pop culture’s most enduring icons. With its release just months away, the world will soon see if Bond’s latest digital incarnation can live up to the legend—and maybe even surpass it.
