Everything you need to know about 007 First Light

Hello and welcome to the third instalment of the ten-part blog series on the top ten upcoming games of 2026. This week will focus on the long-awaited James Bond game, 007 First Light.

007 First Light is set to be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S and PC on the 27th May. It will also be released on Nintendo Switch in the summer.

The game was developed by IO Interactive, the same developers behind the beloved Hitman series games, the developers are using the same video game design software "Glacier"

The game is set before James Bond became the MI6 agent audiences have come to know from the films starring Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan and the books by Ian Fleming. The narrative follows a younger James Bond as he works to earn the 007 number in MI6's new revived 00 programme.

After being forced into a dangerous scenario in a mission gone wrong at the start of the game, Bond will try to bring down the dangerous 009.

The game will take players all over the world, from Iceland to Malta to London and much more. The narrative is an original story, not based on the early James Bond films or Ian Fleming's novels.

No James Bond game is complete without Bond's iconic Aston Martin, and 007 First Light is no different. Players will be able to drive the brand new Aston Martin Valhalla in the game, a car fitting of a 007 agent.

The similarities to the Hitman series are evident in 007 First Light, as players have a wide range of ways to achieve their goals. 

Players can take the stealthy approach to the game, sneaking past enemies, disabling cameras and creating distractions with Bond’s gadget watch, or incapacitating enemies with a dart phone, or using the smoke bomb lighter. Bond can use his Q lens to find useful items in the environment, which can help him distract unsuspecting enemies.

Or maybe you want to take a more secret agent style and eavesdrop on conversations and bluff your way past security and enemies, the choice is yours!

But the mission doesn't always go to plan. As a last resort, Bond can use his license to kill to take out his assailants. He can use a focus mode that slows time to help him get the perfect shot on an upcoming enemy. Or in hand-to-hand combat, Bond can utilise dodges, parries and takedowns to get the upper hand. He will use a wide range of different weapons to get the job done.

If players pre-order the game, then they can play 007 First Light one day early and receive a number of extra items and cosmetics as well, including 4 bonus outfits, the “Agent’s Mark” weapon skin and the “Gleaming Pack” gadget skins, which will give Bond’s gadgets an exciting new look.

The game is mostly single player, but players can complete training simulations and compare their scores and times with other players from around the world.