GoldenEye 007 is "a fantastic game," but 007 First Light dev says IO Interactive's title has "a far wider and more expansive offering and gameplay experience"

IO Interactive senior licensing producer Theuns Smit has distanced the studio's upcoming game, 007 First Light, from previous James Bond game GoldenEye 007. He claims the studio is not worrying about the title's legacy and is instead focused on what it's "bringing forward."

When it comes to games based on the infamous special agent with a license to kill, the same one always comes to mind. While dozens of Bond games have been released over the years, GoldenEye 007 is the only one that is often considered to be great.

The last game to be released with the 007 moniker was 007 Legends, which launched in 2012. Publisher Activision made the bold choice to launch the game without an ending so that players could properly finish it alongside the launch of Skyfall in movie theaters. As you might have guessed, everyone disliked that.

Speaking to Radio Times Gaming, Smit admits that 007's previous success, GoldenEye, is a "fantastic game", but the upcoming 007 First Light is "something really special." IO Interactive is trying to focus on its own game rather than trying to live up to the legacy of the N64 classic.

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"I mean, obviously, acknowledging it is a fantastic game," Smit says of GoldenEye 007. "There's a lot of praise and a lot of nostalgia that goes with that. But for us, we're focused on what we're putting forward, which is in essence a third-person story-driven action-adventure game."

While GoldenEye 007 is known for its tight level design, 007 First Light is taking a completely different approach by offering something "expansive." "[It] is a far wider and more expansive offering and gameplay experience that we're bringing forward," Smit says. "So once people get their hands on it and get to play it, and get to experience that for themselves… I mean, there's something really special we have on our hands here and we can't wait for you to get yours on it as well."

The interview was conducted before IO Interactive decided to delay 007 First Light by two months for "further polish". It is now scheduled to be released on 27 May, 2026.

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