007 First Light release date: Latest news on new James Bond game

It's been nearly three decades since GoldenEye 007 took the world by storm, and perhaps the most famous spy in fiction is making a return to gaming in the upcoming 007 First Light.

A wholly original James Bond story, telling the tale of his first big mission, the game is the latest from Danish studio IO Interactive – the same team behind the iconic Hitman series.

With a recent delay to the 007 First Light release date, here's what you need to know about when Bond returns to our consoles.

When is the 007 First Light release date?

007 First Light is currently scheduled to release on 27th May 2026.

Initially dubbed 'Project 007' upon its reveal in November 2020, the game was officially confirmed in its current form early in 2025.

The official release date was later announced at the start of September during a 30-minute gameplay showcase showing off a brief section of the game.

This was later delayed to a May release date in December 2025, with IOI confirming that a few more months were needed to ensure the game was sufficiently polished on release.

Can I pre-order 007 First Light?

Yes! You can currently pre-order 007 First Light for every platform except Nintendo Switch 2.

PC players can get themselves a copy from either Steam or the Epic Games Store.

Meanwhile, console players can purchase the game from either the PlayStation Store or Xbox Store.

Which consoles and platforms can play 007 First Light?

007 First Light will release on PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2.

It will mark one of the first major cross-platform titles to launch on the Nintendo Switch 2, showing off the new console's added power.

Unfortunately, it seems like we've officially hit the point of no return for last-gen consoles, as a version of the game for Xbox One, PS4 and Switch 1 is nowhere to be seen.

007 First Light gameplay and story details

007 First Light features a wholly original James Bond story, though it does take plenty of inspiration from the original Ian Fleming novels.

The game will tell James Bond's origin story, following Bond as a 26-year old with only a few missions under his belt, and already garnering a reputation as a bit of a loose cannon.

First Light will see him entrusted with a major mission that, once completed, will see him earn his 00 status for the first time.

As well as Bond, the game will feature a variety of classic Bond characters, including the likes of M, Q and Moneypenny.

As for gameplay, we've only seen a few clips, but it appears to mix the stealth of the Hitman games with gunplay, melee combat and plenty of gadgets to use during your playthrough.

There also appear to be a couple of vehicle sections, with Bond driving a classic Aston Martin and even, seemingly, a motorboat.

The game has an air of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle about it, too, so it's one to keep an eye on if you enjoyed Indy's last adventure.

If you're after as much info about the game as possible, we recently interviewed 007 First Light franchise director Jonathan Lacaille, during which he shared plenty of intel about the upcoming title. You can read the interview here, or watch the full interview via the video below:

Is there a 007 First Light trailer?

Yes, there is! There's a three-minute trailer explaining the premise of the game and showing off a bit of gameplay too, and you can watch it below!

Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.