With the launch of 007 First Light now just a few weeks away, developer IO Interactive is continuing to pull back the curtain on its first adventure with the iconic British spy, James Bond. During a lengthy FAQ this week, numerous developers for 007 First Light, including the game’s director, answered some of the community’s most burning questions. This may have given fans a great idea about what to expect from IO’s new title, but it also confirmed that 007 First Light will be launching without a massively popular feature.
For the past 26 years, IO Interactive has been known for creating the Hitman franchise, as well as other popular titles, like Kane & Lynch. Now, for the first time in 16 years, IO Interactive is gearing up to temporarily step away from Hitman to give the world its own adaptation of one of the world’s most popular and beloved MI6 agents, James Bond. While previous James Bond games have been handled by Activision, the studio lost its publishing rights in 2012 after the release of 007 Legends. Now, the team behind Hitman is preparing to give gamers a new take on the character, with an origin story featuring a much younger, more inexperienced James Bond.
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007 First Light Won’t Have New Game Plus
007 First Light is just a few weeks away from release, and there’s no denying that it’s one of the most anticipated video game releases of the year. With fans dying to know more about IO’s take on James Bond, the developers recently held an FAQ livestream to answer some of the community’s burning questions. While 007 First Light will launch with tons of features for players to sink their teeth into, IO Interactive has now confirmed it won’t ship with a New Game Plus option. For those hoping to see it added in a post-launch update, which many single-player titles often do, the studio says it has no intention of adding NG+ to 007 First Light at a later date.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
The team also said that there will be no demo that will allow players to go hands-on with 007 First Light ahead of its release on May 27, which will likely be disappointing to those who are on the fence about IO’s new James Bond game. The lack of NG+, however, probably won’t come as much of a surprise to fans who have been keeping a close eye on 007 First Light.
Last month, IO Interactive announced Tac-Sim for 007 First Light, which is essentially the game’s very own version of NG+. The mode allows players to replay missions with additional challenges, modifiers, and objectives, which will allow for plenty of replayability and seems to be inspired by Hitman‘s Escalation mode. Tac-Sim also has an online leaderboard for players to see how they’re stacking up against others, and rewards players with experience points that can then be spent on gadget upgrades, weapons, and outfits.
While 007 First Light hasn’t even launched yet, early previews and the game’s many trailers already have fans expecting a possible game of the year contender. Given that James Bond has been on numerous outings over the years, there’s plenty of potential for a 007 First Light sequel that continues IO’s take on the character. However, IO Interactive has said it depends on how well First Light performs. When IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak was asked about a follow-up, he made it clear that the studio is open to the idea if First Light “goes really well.”
Balance the critic averages
Balance the critic averages
Easy (6)Medium (8)Hard (10)
Unfortunately, those looking to purchase 007 First Light on the Nintendo Switch 2 will have to wait a little longer before they experience Bond’s origin story. While the title will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on May 27, IO Interactive has pushed back the Switch 2 release to later this year. As of writing, there is no firm release date for the Switch 2 version of 007 First Light, but IO Interactive has reiterated its plans to bring the title to Nintendo’s latest device and is targeting a Summer release.
- Released
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May 27, 2026
- ESRB
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Teen / Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence, In-Game Purchases
Source: Insider Gaming
