IO Interactive’s art director Rasmus Poulsen said collaborating with Amazon MGM on the upcoming game 007: First Light has been "surprisingly straightforward". He credited the studio’s thorough preparation and foundational "DNA work" for making conversations about the Bond franchise more factual and easier, calling it "the easy part" [1].
Poulsen also explained the team’s clarity on their vision for the game, which centers on portraying a youthful version of James Bond. He emphasized that their approach separates Bond as "a hero, and has to be a hero," distinct from IO Interactive’s previous Hitman series [1, 2].
A hands-on preview by Eurogamer described 007: First Light as a linear third-person stealth-action game, marking a departure from the open-ended, sandbox style seen in Hitman games. The preview noted IO Interactive’s deliberate effort to move away from the Hitman formula to better fit the Bond character [2].
Poulsen contrasted the two protagonists by saying, "Hitman is the best in the world at what he does — of course, he operates clandestinely as well as Bond does, but Hitman is an agent of chaos," highlighting the different narrative tones between the franchises [2].
Eurogamer’s preview also reported playing about three hours of 007: First Light, offering insight into the gameplay and structure [2].
With positive remarks on the partnership and game direction, IO Interactive is preparing to build out this fresh take on the 007 universe with Amazon MGM’s support.
