This article was originally published on September 5, 2025 - read the full issue here

By Alan Wen

This week, PlayStation presented a special State Of Play showcase dedicated to 007 First Light, following the game's official reveal in June. The substantial playthrough of an in-game mission shows a clear shift for developer IO Interactive. The studio isn't just reinventing James Bond for videogames, but is also challenging itself in making a game that's significantly different from the stealth and assassination sandbox simulation of its long-running Hitman series.

Speaking to Knowledge, IO senior licensing producer Theuns Smit and franchise art director Rasmus Poulsen discuss how the studio has been entrusted with an iconic IP while being given the licence to thrill with an original reimagining of Bond.

Reimagining an icon

"When we first pitched [James Bond film studio] MGM this project, it was always envisioned as a coming-of-age story for a young Bond made specifically for the gamers," says Poulsen. "Building a Bond that feels like not just a copy, but more of an amalgamation of all those traits that we've analysed by looking at the whole franchise, back to the description in the books. It was a massive undertaking, but of course a massively inspiring task. The communications we had with MGM felt like we all wanted the same thing and were excited to tell this story."

Reimagining an iconic character famously portrayed on the big screen can be risky. Almost all past Bond games have modelled themselves after his movie counterparts, recreating actors such as Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig in digital form. In parallel, there is also MachineGames' faithful recreation of Indy in Indiana Jones And The Great Circle, using the likeness of '80s-era Harrison Ford and the voice acting of Troy Baker.

But since it was first announced in 2020 that IO would be developing a James Bond game (due for release on March 27, 2026), the Craig era has also come to an end. The search for a successor is still ongoing, making it a perfect storm for putting an original spin on the character, which Smit says was also part of the studio's original pitch "to create our own Bond, by going further back, before the tux and the martinis, before he has even earned his number."

"IO as a company, we have over 25 years of agent fantasy experience, which I think definitely helps count towards our pedigree of understanding the world of espionage and bringing that to life," he adds. "But I believe from the very beginning it was clear to us that a reimagined origin story was the way that we wanted to go. We didn't want to just retell stories from the films, we wanted to create something [where] the players basically come alongside the character."

From 47 to 007

Yet Poulsen has also been reading online commentary suggesting it would be "a natural fit" for the Hitman studio to take on James Bond, from the espionage themes to glamorous locations – such as a mountain chateau that can also be a sandbox gameplay environment. But the final approach has been significantly different.

"Of course, the comparisons make sense, but when you look at it from afar, the character motivation – being a good guy who plays by the rules, or at least a certain set of rules – and then having a narrative cinematic storyline, all the way to driving, combat, and big action setpieces… There's many more differentiators than what feels like an obvious next step for us," he says.

These additional elements also called for greater and richer detail, including securing partnerships with brands such as Omega and Aston Martin. It also meant an overhaul of IO's in-house Glacier Engine.

"In the past we've been quite simulation-driven, so the things we have had to push for this particular project – cinematic camera transitions, face capture, acting, driving – we had to hire specialty talent to help us lift the task of a lot of these different things," Poulsen explains. "From an engine point of view but also a team and a process point of view, lots of things have had to change for us to build this game."

The challenge will also be ensuring that this new chapter of Bond will also be delivered consistently across all platforms, including Nintendo Switch 2, which will surely be heavily scrutinised following criticisms over performance issues with the Hitman: World Of Assassination port on Nintendo's new console. Poulsen, however, points to the game's newly released iOS port as a sign of confidence: "We have some wizards in the depths of the tech catacombs that can deliver."

Whether or not 007 First Light could become the start of another tentpole for IO, Poulsen is certainly hopeful that the studio's take on the legendary agent is going to have an impact on the gaming world, just as N64 GoldenEye is still fondly remembered after all these years.

"This is the Bond for the gamers, and I hope that they take it to heart."

This article was originally published on September 5, 2025 - read the full issue here