007 First Light has IO Interactive’s gameplay mixed with Ian Fleming’s wit

When I was younger, I went through a phase where I was fascinated with Ian Fleming’s espionage agent du jour, James Bond. Specifically, I was fascinated with the history behind the character — which includes no small piece of Fleming himself — and how he wound up becoming the cultural icon he is today. And while I’m not a Bond aficionado by any means, I flashed back to that time while watching the first gameplay footage of IO Interactive’s upcoming adaptation, 007 First Light.

The studio debuted the footage today as part of a special gameplay reveal, showing off Bond’s pre-007 beginnings as a fledgling intelligence officer and his rather flexible approach to investigation and espionage, which will serve him well in his future career. They also confirmed the game launches on March 26, 2026. The footage covers the first mission of the game, with developer commentary detailing the game’s gadgets, combat and stealth systems.