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.
"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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