As part of Sony’s big Bond-themed PlayStation State of Play, developer IO Interactive has revealed 007: First Light will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and PC on 27th March next year. Additionally, the studio has unveiled a collector’s edition with a price tag likely to leave you at least slightly shaken if not completely stirred.
007: First Light was announced all the way back in 2021, under the name Project 007, but it wasn’t until earlier this year that IO Interactive began discussing the game in earnest. The gist is that First Light serves as an origin story for IO’s Bond – part of what’s hoped to be a trilogy – charting the iconic spy’s early days as a “young, resourceful, and sometimes reckless new recruit”. It’s promising stealthy espionage, daredevil action set-pieces, cool spy gadgets, and seemingly everything else you might expect from a Bond game.
IO showed off some of that in more detail during Sony’s latest PlayStation State of Play showcase, and you can read more about 007: First Light’s gameplay fundamentals elsewhere on Eurogamer. But perhaps the biggest news of the evening was a confirmed release date. We already knew it was coming next year, but IO has now firmed that up into a 27th March launch. Additionally, it’s also announced a bunch of different editions as pre-orders get underway.
Anyone that pre-orders 007: First Light’s £59.99 standard digital edition – which is can be purchased for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store – will be upgraded to the Deluxe Edition at no extra cost. This gets you the game itself, 24 hours of early access, and a Deluxe Upgrade cosmetics bundle featuring four exclusive outfits, one new weapon skin, and the Gleaming pack. There’s also a physical release – known as the Specialist edition – featuring all the above plus the Classic Tuxedo Skin for PS5, Xbox, and Switch. And for the big spenders out there, IO is releasing a limited edition Legacy version.
This physical-only release for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Steam costs a not-insignificant £259.99/€299.99/$299.99 USD and includes everything featured in other editions, plus a couple of exclusive weapon and outfit skins, a Golden Gun figurine with a stand and secret compartment, a certificate of authenticity, and a magnetic steel case. Oh, and a great big box.
Whether IO Interactive can pull off its ambitious Bond origin story remains to be seen, but Eurogamer’s Alex Donaldson previously opined that signs are good. “In one trailer, [the Hitman studio] has totally proven it ‘gets’ Bond,” he wrote, “and it’s all about the salivating consumerism.”
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