And what if you could become James Bond for the duration of a video game? 007 First Light, a video game centered on the famed British spy, developed and published by IO Interactive, awaits you on PC, PS5, Xbox Series and via Amazon Games from May 27, 2026. The game is also slated to arrive later on Nintendo Switch 2. This new title offers a fresh take on the Agent 007, as the character’s cinematic future remains up in the air since the end of the Daniel Craig era.
Since November 5, 2026, the Free Starter Pack for 007 First Light has let players enjoy the first mission for free. It takes place in Iceland, before Bond joins MI6. The pack can be downloaded on Steam on PC and Xbox Series X|S. It provides access to this opening mission. To continue the story, players must buy the full game.
On PS5, PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers can already start a one-hour trial of the game. IO Interactive announced that the free pack will arrive on PlayStation on November 10. These offers are separate from the monthly games included with PlayStation Plus. In its announcement about the starter pack, the studio said that progress made in the pack or trial can be carried over after purchasing the full game.
“Follow a young, sharp-witted James Bond — and at times daring — during his MI6 training, and uncover the origin story of the world's most famous secret agent.”
IO Interactive, the studio behind the famous Hitman license, wants to take us on an adventure. This time, players take on the role of the world's most famous spy. The game takes us back to the origins of the James Bond saga, as the 26-year-old secret agent attempts to obtain his 00 status, the famous license to kill... You start out as a naval aircrew member, then are thrust into MI6's most intense program after a brave act, under the supervision of Agent Greenway. The game is being developed in collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios.
The ultimate villain in this story is none other than Lenny Kravitz, better known for his music than for his supervillain exploits. The artist takes on the role of Bawma, a brand-new character who controls the black market across the western hemisphere.
On the casting side,Patrick Gibson, known for his roles in Dexter: Original Sin and The OA, has officially confirmed his participation in 007 First Light, taking on the role of James Bond. He has also revealed the team responsible for the voices and performance capture. Fans of the saga will recognize the essential M, played by Priyanga Burford, Q, played by Alastair Mackenzie, and Miss Moneypenny, played by Kiera Lester. The game will also introduce new faces, including John Greenway, Bond's mentor, played by Lennie James (Fear the Walking Dead, Save Me), and Miss Roth, played by Noemie Nakai.
And the gameplay is based on a Creative Approach that gives players the freedom to choose their style: discreet infiltration, direct action or improvisation.Espionage allows you to listen, observe and gather information, whileInstinct offers a tactical resource for trapping opponents, bluffing in the event of detection or improving your accuracy in combat.
Q's gadgets enrich each mission, opening up new possibilities for hacking, lock-picking or diversion, and evolve as you progress. The combat system combines spectacular close-quarter combat, long-distance shooting and climbing, for fluid, personal confrontations that are true to the James Bond universe.
Our verdict on 007 First Light:
Game tested on PS5 for just over 5 hours
He’s one of the most famous fictional characters in the world (the irony of that for a spy!), and now it’s your turn to play him! You play a young James Bond, a bit of a rebellious hothead who always has a quip for his superiors. After a disastrous mission, Bond catches the MI6’s attention and is recruited into a top-secret programme. Training, missions, infiltrations, car chases and field combat: we’re thrown right into the action across the globe.
The tutorial takes place during the training phase: a handy way to discover all the gameplay elements alongside the character. Before long, you’re thrown in at the deep end. Gameplay flows naturally into the cutscenes, which are highly polished. Overall, playing the game feels a bit like watching a big blockbuster with interactive moments where you take control of the hero. The story and characters are both very well developed, and it feels like a true James Bond adventure.
The gameplay is smooth: there’s no downtime between stages, no bugs during action sequences, and the animation is well done and fairly realistic. The world feels alive and bustling, the settings are beautiful... The game is polished, with great attention to detail. A quality title with few missteps.
Still, the game may not be to everyone’s taste. Stealth is at the heart of the game. There are plenty of fights, and some players will prefer to use brute force to get what they want. But the game still favours a subtler, more considered approach. At certain points, the best strategy is simply to wait for the way to clear, or for a distraction to arrive. Patience is key!
Combat also requires a deft touch. You can’t just charge in guns blazing! Ammo is limited, and you’ll need to move quickly and push forward to pick up extra weapons dropped on the battlefield. You’ll also need good shooting skills to get through some chapters, where you take on what feels like an entire army on your own.
The gadgets developed by Q are useful... But at times, there can be too many of them, or they can feel cumbersome. In the heat of the action, it’s hard to remember which buttons to press to use the right tool at the right moment.
Overall, this game is a real success, and should especially appeal to fans of the 007 franchise. It has all the spectacle of a Bond film, along with plenty of references and nods to the series. The game has a compelling narrative and fits neatly into the James Bond universe.
While you wait to dive into the adventure, you can sharpen your shooting skills by replaying the Hitman saga from the same studio.
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