007 First Light seems like it offers exactly what I want from a James Bond video game

IO Interactive, the European game studio best known for its work on the Hitman series, finally provided a deep dive into its James Bond game today. That happened because a new State of Play presentation solely focused on 007 First Light took place on PlayStation’s YouTube channel this afternoon.

The 007 First Light showcase offered us our first uninterrupted look at gameplay and confirmed the game’s release date. It definitely is one of my most anticipated games heading into 2026 now, as it seems like it’s offering everything I’d want from a James Bond game made by the developers of Hitman.

What was revealed during 007 First Light – State of Play Gameplay Deep Dive?

A first look at gameplay, James Bond’s actor, and the release date

The showcase mainly focused on a look at James Bond’s first mission in the game. It begins with James Bond infiltrating a party in the Carpathian Mountains and sets up the feud between James Bond and 009, another agent who defected and seems to be the villain of the game.

We first got a look at its stealth gameplay, as Bond steals a lighter, uses that to light a fire that distracts a guard, and then uses that opportunity to climb the side of the building and get in. Bond then schmoozes his way through the building while using special abilities to find who he’s looking for.

The State of Play then cuts forward to later in the level, where 009 is trying to escape. This results in a car chase and shootout where Bond also gets the help of a French secret agent. Ultimately, the State of Play climaxed with James Bond climbing into plane 009 and escaping as it takes off, fighting enemies within it before ultimately free-falling out of it.

Actor Patrick Gibson then showed up, confirming he is portraying James Bond in the game. Then, a narrated video highlighted how some later missions will have multiple ways they can be solved thanks to the various gadgets at Bond’s disposal. Finally, a release date of March 27, 2026 was confirmed.

We first learned that IO Interactive was making a James Bond video game in 2020, but the Hitman studio did not share much more about the game until this year. At a State of Play showcase featuring multiple games in May, the title 007 First Light was revealed.

We learned that it’d feature a younger James Bond and would be out sometime in 2026, but didn’t know much more until today because that reveal trailer was mostly cinematic.

Having played IO Interactive’s Hitman games, this early look at gameplay shows that 007 First Light shares some clear DNA with those games during its stealth sections. Once the action ramps up, though, 007 First Light becomes a lot more distinct with its car chases, explosive shootouts, and cinematic setpieces.

It ultimately seems to be somewhere between Hitman, Uncharted, and Mafia: The Old Country in terms of game feel. That’s the exact kind of gameplay combination I’d want out of a James Bond game, so I’m quite excited for it, especially if the final game runs at a more stable frame rate than the demo video did.