007 First Light launches May 27 — IO Interactive's Bond origin story is almost here
James Bond is finally back in a major video game — and it arrives May 27, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Developed by IO Interactive, the Danish studio behind the modern Hitman trilogy, 007 First Light has been one of the most anticipated releases of the year. A full release trailer just dropped, and it makes a strong case that this is the most cinematic Bond adaptation outside of the films themselves.
The origin story
The game follows a 26-year-old James Bond who hasn't yet earned his licence to kill. He starts out as a British special forces operative — until a mission in Iceland catches MI6's attention, and his path to 00 status begins. The cast includes Gemma Chan, Lenny Kravitz, and Patrick Gibson as the young Bond, with a score by David Arnold and a theme performed by Lana Del Rey.
IO Interactive describes the experience as a blend of Uncharted's narrative structure and Hitman's stealth design — alternating linear cinematic missions with more open locations where players choose their approach. The main campaign runs around 20 hours, in line with the Hitman trilogy entries, and missions can be replayed with modifiers for extra challenge.
The catch
Preview impressions have been largely positive on story and performance capture, but not everyone is sold on the gameplay. PC Gamer Hands-On found the stealth AI simplistic and the mission design less open-ended than Hitman 3 — drawing comparisons to the divisive Hitman: Absolution. Metacritic Preview Roundup reflects a mixed-but-intrigued critical consensus heading into launch.
Pricing and availability
The standard edition is priced at $69.99 in the US and £59.99 in the UK across all platforms. A Collector's Edition is available at $299.99/£199.99 in physical retail. Pre-ordering the standard edition includes a free Deluxe Edition upgrade. One caveat: the Nintendo Switch 2 version has been pushed back to Q3 2026 — no firm date yet.
With no serious competition in the spy-action genre right now — the next Splinter Cell remains vaporware — 007 First Light has a clear run at the audience. Whether IO's shift toward linearity pays off is the question full reviews, dropping around launch day, will answer.