In this special State of Play IO Interactive offers an extensive look at its standalone original Bond adventure, featuring spycraft, combat, gadgets, and driving.
We’re thrilled to share an extensive look at 007 First Light, our third-person action-adventure game featuring a fully re-imagined original James Bond origin story. Built in-house at IO Interactive with our Glacier engine, we’re incredibly proud to share this wholly original Bond experience created from the ground up, one that blends the sharp tension of espionage with the bold spectacle the franchise is known for.
In this special State of Play, we showcased footage from two missions that highlight the game’s immersive design and cinematic flair. From a covert operation at a high-stakes chess tournament in Slovakia, closing with a high-altitude showdown, to an infiltration of a lavish gala in Kensington, London, these missions offer a glimpse into the living and breathing worlds that Bond will navigate as he discovers the world of espionage.
Play Bond, your way
From day one, we’ve designed the game so you can approach your objectives how you want, through what we call the Creative Approach. Maybe you’ll slip in unnoticed and reach your goal without anyone knowing you were there. Maybe you’ll go in loud, using every weapon and gadget at your disposal. Or maybe you’ll use a bit of both, and improvise, turning whatever the situation throws at you into an opportunity.
As part of the Creative Approach, there are different aspects of James Bond’s set of skills that are reflected:
Spycraft is your toolkit for the quieter side of the job. You can eavesdrop on conversations for intelligence, lift a keycard from a distracted guard’s pocket, or piece together clues from environmental details others might overlook. Every bit of information can open a shortcut or give you a way around a challenge, or a crowded security room.
Instinct is Bond’s natural aptitude in gameplay form, reflecting his quick thinking and adaptability. It’s a limited resource that will fill itself as you take down enemies, complete objectives etc… You can use it to lure a guard toward you for a silent takedown, bluff your way past someone who’s getting suspicious, or give you a bit more time to take the perfect shot during a firefight.
Gadgets from Q Branch are an essential part of your toolkit, giving you plenty of possibilities to tackle each situation you face. You might hack a camera system to clear a path, cut through a locked door with a laser, or distract a guard long enough to slip by. We want them to feel like natural extensions of Bond’s skillset, not just one-off tricks. As you progress through the missions, you will unlock more gadgets, empowering you through your journey to become a fully-fledged spy.
Combat in 007 First Light is built to feel true to Bond, with control, efficiency, and visceral. You’ll swap between precision gunplay and up-close brawls without missing a beat. In tight spaces, Bond can throw an opponent over a railing, smash them against a wall, disarm them in one smooth motion, or use the nearest object to incapacitate them. Melee skills include parries, throws, and takedowns, designed to look cinematic but still feel responsive in your hands.
When encounters escalate to lethal force being used, Bond earns his License to Kill, allowing him to use his marksmanship with firearms being thrown into the fight without slowing down. And because gadgets are part of his combat toolkit, you will be able to use them expertly to disorient an enemy before taking him out. The mix of melee, ranged weapons, and gadgets means every encounter feels unpredictable, personal, and very much like stepping into the 007 fantasy.
The full Bond experience
A feature we’re also very proud to introduce is one of the driving sequences, which will be present throughout the game. As you saw in the gameplay deep dive, you will have to use your skills behind the wheel during high-speed chases and other tense situations to make sure Bond gets to his objectives, especially if he has to take a shortcut. We also wanted to deliver on the action set-pieces that have been part of the franchise’s history and include big moments that reflect the stakes of the world of espionage, including being thrown out of a plane in full flight.
Meet the cast
Our introduction to 007 First Light would not be complete without revealing our amazing ensemble cast of voice and motion capture actors, who deliver tremendous performances:
- Patrick Gibson as James Bond
- Priyanga Burford as M
- Alastair Mackenzie as Q
- Kiera Lester as Miss Moneypenny
- Lennie James as Bond’s mentor, John Greenway
- Noemie Nakai as Miss Roth
Thank you for joining us for this first real taste of 007 First Light, and we hope you enjoyed it just as much as we had creating it. We can’t wait for you to step into Bond’s shoes and see how you’ll earn the number!
007 First Light launches on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro on March 27, 2026. Pre-order now and get an upgrade to 007 First Light – Deluxe Edition at no additional cost.
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