Latest news with #Project007
Metro
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
007 First Light interview - discussing the women, the music, and the cars
007 First Light – Bond is back (IO Interactive) GameCentral speaks to Hitman makers IO Interactive about their upcoming new James Bond game and exactly how similar it'll be to the movies. Project 007 was announced almost five years ago now and despite a debut trailer in June we still know very little about it, other than it's by Hitman developer IO Interactive and that it stars a young version of Bond, long before he became a 00 agent. IO has promised to reveal more this summer, but the lack of information isn't as worrying as it might be. Given how much Hitman has referenced and paid homage to Bond over the years, IO already seem like a safe pair of hands. It's a long time since they've done anything action-packed though, and storytelling has never been their strong point, but we were very encouraged after our recent talk with franchise director Jonathan Lacaille. We still haven't seen or played the game ourselves but so far he's saying all the right things, in what will hopefully be a Bond game to rival GoldenEye 007 itself. GC: There have been a lot of Bond games over the year but the only of any real note could've easily featured any character and been just as good. So how have you approached the adaptation and how do you handle the very significant differences between video game and movie action and storytelling? JL: I think we're leaning a lot on the pedigree of the studio and having worked on Hitman as a franchise for 20 years means that we've mastered that by now. [laughs] The spy fantasy, especially. It's not a secret that Bond has been an inspiration for Hitman. When we created a spy fantasy, we of course looked at the best out there and we have a lot of Bond fans in the studio, obviously. After 20 years of working on that, we felt maybe we had a shot at pitching it. And the pitch, originally, was leaning a lot on what we do best. So the freedom of approach that you have when you approach a problem, the gadgets, blending in, trespassing, the stealth aspect as well… Expert, exclusive gaming analysis Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. But that's not enough, because James Bond is not Agent 47 and we had to complete that fantasy and add a few more elements. When you're looking at a Hitman level, we expect the player to be quite patient, to count the seconds between the rounds of guards passing by, until they get their lunch, and then you can get past… It's a bit more slow paced. We knew we could not do that with Bond, so we had a lot of work to do in terms of action, whether it's melee combat, ranged – shooting is not something we've really done in Hitman before. Because in Hitman, when you get to shooting you've basically failed the level; you've been discovered and that's it. In Bond it's very different, you want to have a lot of forward momentum. We want always to keep the player quick on their feet and to think fast under pressure and to choose between different avenues very quickly. And that's how we've approached the design of the game. To answer your question about cinematic action, the way we're approaching this is that the structure of the game… so you'll have moments that are inevitably more linear than others, because there is a specific time where we want to have some very cinematic action – a mix of gameplay, mix of cinematics – so there will be those moments that are very crafted. There'll be some chases, where you have to run after someone, for instance, or a car chase. Things like that, that are a bit more linear. And then you have other moments in the game where you need to infiltrate an area and you have different options, different ways to make your way in. Whether it's charming a character, whether it's stealing a keycard, or jumping on a window or bluffing – it's too early to tell you how that works but it's something that we felt you had to have in a Bond game. GC: Are the majority of action scenes linear and prescribed? Or are some of those more sandbox-y? JL: When I talk about the linear action pieces you also have moments where you have what I would call an arena where you have a room, for instance, that you can approach in different ways, whether it's stealth or all guns blazing or you take down people one by one. There is some of that more open action as well. That definitely looks like Q branch (IO Interactive) GC: How do you approach the character of Bond? I feel if he's not a sexist, misogynist dinosaur there's really no point in doing a James Bond film or game. Because that is the character. But then again you don't want him to be mistaken for some awful manosphere type person. So how do you thread that needle? Because the more you shave off the rough edges, of any character, the blander and less interesting they become. JL: It's a good question. It's rare to be able to work on a franchise that's being going for so long. That's been good for ages and adapted with its time. Whether you're talking about Sean Connery or Pierce Brosnan they were dealing with things that felt very topical at those times, for the audience watching it. And that's the same thing we're gonna do in our game. GC: I remember asking my mum about the sexism in the Connery films and she pointed out it was considered outrageous even at the time. Whereas I think nowadays a lot of people just assume that's how everyone carried on in the 60s. JL: It's the Bond of the past that was made around a different time. And I think the Bond that we have today… he's still going to have interactions with women. [laughs] GC: You laugh but that's quite unusual for a mainstream video game… to deal with sex in anything but the most oblique way. Does he seduce women and use his sex appeal? JL: A big difference with our Bond is his age. He's 26. He's starting out, he's not even a 00, he's barely a recruit at MI6, so he doesn't have that confidence that you would have… he has some but he's not there yet, he's not the character that we know. He's still very different, he's a diamond in the rough. There are some elements that you find, that lead to him become the character you know, for instance charm. He's a charming guy, he has charm in spades. He just doesn't really know how to weaponise it yet. Bluffing: he's trying, sometimes he's failing. But he will have romance, even though all that will be very new to him. But will it be funny? (IO Interactive) GC: For me the most important element of the films to get right is the sense of humour and the irreverence. Th British sense of humour is very different to to the Danish or French, and definitely from Americans. With Bond, it's not just one-liners, it's the whole tone of the films. JL: I agree and, honestly, it's one of the pillars of the pitch. The characters need to be quintessentially British and there's a few things that help us get there. First of all, our narrative and cinematic director has always had a great relationship with MGM [the film studio that has always handled Bond and which Amazon bought in 2023 – GC] and one of the reasons that we landed the project is because they were seduced by his understanding of the franchise. But to come to your point about the smaller things – which are big [laughs] – like banter and puns… jokes. I'm French, I can't come up with that stuff. [laughs] But I know exactly what you mean and we have English writers on the team, I mean we're based in Brighton! But even before we had IOI Brighton we had consultant writers based in the UK, to review all that content. And, of course, MGM are working very closely with us on the project. GC: It's such a pleasure to play a game made in a different country, rather than the vast majority that are made by or for the US. I think of Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 just recently. It's not like Bond is vastly different from a stock American action film but there's those few degrees of difference that are all important. JL: I completely understand your point and I think it's a very valid one and it's been in the minds of everyone here. The studio is European, we have a studio in the UK, so we are trying to be authentic. Hitman doesn't get into car chases (IO Interactive) GC: The other issue, and this is a more general one when adapting movies, is that even for a very action heavy film it's the still the character and dialogue that you remember the most. You can see it with the very formulaic Marvel films, where the script and actors are what makes the difference between a good or bad entry. JL: The game is narrative driven. Its design is we're following the story very much. Every decision we make needs to bring the story forward. So whether you're playing in an arena or it's linear or driving or its shootout it's because of the story. So this is how the game is built. In terms of characters, they are the heart of everything, from Bond… there's a character arc, character development, from his first day to MI6 and his shot at being a 00. It's the same for every character. They have a character arc as well. We had to think about what stage of life M would be, when Bond is just starting. We are introducing his mentor and they have a… cold relationship at first. I would say he's a father figure and he's a teenage son, a little bit. To describe it quickly. Moneypenny… he often has Moneypenny in his ear, and they have a lot of chatter and they're building their relationship as they go. It starts formal and then gets more informal along the course of the game, as they build a friendship. This looks a very Bond-esque location (IO Interactive) GC: Of course, Bond didn't start in movies, he's a literary character. What can a game do with the character that the movies can't? JL: A few things! One of the first things I would say is where we shoot! We're building everything digitally, so there are areas where recording a movie would be too dangerous and we may decide to bring you there in the game, because we can. But, quite simply, based on the medium, we're putting the player in control and making them feel like Bond. And we need to make players feel as smart and as quick on their feet as James Bond would be. And it's a balance, not making it too easy and not making it too hard, but at the same time making them feel they are doing cool stuff and turning the odds in their favour. Because that's what Bond does, right? GC: How close do you skew to the films? Will you have a theme tune and opening scene? Will there be an Austin Martin in it? Are you even allowed to do that stuff? JL: The package needs to be like a Bond product, right? It's an original game, it's an original story, it's a young character… there's a lot of novelty in that sense. But there are pillars of this IP that you can't do without and it's been a while since Aston Martin was something that was attached to the IP, but we took a twist on it and… it may not be the DB5 that everyone is used to. As songs go, you have the sonic branding, which is such a big pillar of Bond and we're working on music with our very talented audio director and there'll be some great things that we're cooking and are going to be revealed later. GC: What's your favourite Bond film? JL: I don't have one specifically, but I would say I love what they have done with the Daniel Craig saga – the character development over time. GC: That's a funny way to say From Russia with Love, but okay! JL: [laugh] GC: OK, that's great. Thank you very much for your time. JL: No problem at all, speak to you again soon. Formats: Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC Price: TBA Publisher: IO Interactive Developer: IO Interactive Release Date: 2026 Nobody does it better? (IO Interactive) Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. 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Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
After Seeing The 007: First Light Trailer, I Have Even More Faith In The Amazon-MGM Era Of James Bond
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The 2025 movie schedule has been a pretty rough time to be a 007 fan. With Amazon-MGM's creative control deal putting them in the driver's seat for the road ahead, and those recent Bond copyright issues threatening to derail Bond 26's rumored production/release schedule, no one knows when or how James Bond will return. It's the perfect time for something like the announcement trailer for IO Interactive's 007 First Light to hit, and if the movies are given this much care, I'm even more optimistic about the future. Revealing the first public look at what was once called Project 007, that reel has taken the first steps into this modern stand alone prequel. Per reporting out of PlayStation's official blog, here's what to expect from young James: This is Bond as you've never seen him before — the youngest Bond fans have ever met. In 007 First Light, at only 26 years old, he isn't the fully fledged 007 you know from the tux-and-martini days but a man with sharp instincts, sometimes reckless, who is still learning when to fight, when to bluff, and when to disappear into the shadows. Now unless we've discarded Charlie Higson's Young Bond books, this 007 First Light claim is absolutely true. But putting that nitpick aside, we'll be seeing James Bond grabbing the spotlight after showing his pattern of risky behavior that goes against rules and regulations. What's more, Amazon-MGM Studios has collaborated with IO Interactive on First Light's story. With all respect to the good people at EON Productions, it looks like previous James Bond game restrictions are now officially out the window. Gunplay is definitely on the table here, as are car chases, Roger Moore-style pick-up lines, and a new version of the On Her Majesty's Secret Service theme I need an MP3 of at once. We're going to see young James Bond 'earn the number,' as the game's tagline states. It's a refreshingly modern looking take that's reminiscent of when Casino Royale rebooted the Bond legacy in 2006. Despite sounding like a more modern reinvention that discards the past, there are a lot of classic references throughout 007 First Light. The Alpha build footage shows us a chess game similar to the one in From Russia with Love, Bond wearing a jacket styled like the one in Dr. No, and various outfits and locations that nod to every era of James Bond movies. Mixing those two halves together in the way that First Light has is key to making a good James Bond story - no matter what medium it's in. So if this is the first inkling of what Amazon-MGM's reign will give audience in James Bond 26, consider my ticket already bought. 007 First Light doesn't have a release date, but is scheduled to be released at some point in 2026. Let's just hope this title and Grand Theft Auto VI stay clear out of each other's way, so as not to collapse the internet, massive world economies and countless relationships in their wake.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
007: First Light brings Casino Royale energy to the Hitman devs' James Bond game
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. 007: First Light, the new James Bond game from the developer of Hitman, which was previously known as Project 007, has been unveiled, with a new trailer during the Sony State of Play. And the most exciting bit of all is that we finally get to see its version of Bond. It's clearly an early, pre-00 status take on Bond - "before the tuxedos and martinis," according to IO CEO Hakan Abram. There's talk of putting him into a new training program, and his CV is mostly a rundown of his time at school, rather than any particular missions he's been on. There's an obvious introduction to some classic characters, as Bond himself - a new take on the classic character who looks more like a blend of every previous Bond actor than anyone specific - steps into the sunlight. The good news is that it's a third-person action game, where you can instantly see the Hitman DNA that I was desperately hoping IO would be holding onto. From stealthy takedowns to ridiculous gadgets, or sliding distractions across the floor, it's definitely the kind Hitman Bond that I was really hoping we'd find. Obviously, we also get an Aston Martin car chase, which is very much out of IO's traditional wheelhouse, but there's also some interesting set pieces, and plenty of Bond Girl potential - I think I lost count of the number of femme fatales we saw. I'm surprised to see any kind of gameplay, given how long Project 007 remained in the dark, but that's because it's less far away than I might have thought. 007: First Light is coming next year, with a bigger gameplay deep dive later this week. Keep an eye on the Summer Game Fest 2025 schedule for that extra gameplay.
Engadget
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
IO Interactive's James Bond game '007 First Light' is coming in 2026
To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. The developer of Hitman: World of Assassination, IO Interactive, is finally showing off its take on a James Bond with a new trailer that debuted during Sony's summer State of Play on June 4. IO Interactive originally announced it was working on "Project 007" back in November 2020, and only recently shared that the game was called 007 First Light and would be a "James Bond origin story." Given how much of a Hitman level can be defined by 007-esque antics like using disguises, infiltrating enemy bases and using gadgets, IO Interactive seemed like a natural fit to make the next game in the franchise. IO Interactive's first trailer is unfortunately narrative-focused, depicting early moments from this new Bond's career, including his training in the Navy. Many of the most memorable Bond games have hewed closely to existing plots or visual depictions from from the franchise's over-60-year history, whether the single-player story of GoldenEye 007 adapting key moments of the film, or Pierce Brosnan's likeness being used in James Bond 007: NightFire. IO Interactive is taking a deliberately different approach, telling a Bond origin story and creating an original version of the character that isn't based on one of the films. To be clear, the future of the James Bond film franchise is still a little uncertain in its own right. Longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson handed off creative control of the franchise to Amazon MGM Studios and producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman in March 2025. They've yet to announce a new film or recast James Bond, who was most recently played by Daniel Craig. IO Interactive has confirmed that 007 First Light will be coming to the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X /S an PC in 2026.
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Business Standard
04-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
New James Bond game, 007 First Light, might be unveiled on June 6: Details
Danish game developer IO Interactive has announced a new James Bond game title called 007 First Light. According to a report by IGN, the game was previously known as Project 007 but has now been renamed. The title is expected to be officially revealed at a special developer showcase this week. As per TechRadar, the game will be unveiled alongside updates on IO Interactive's other projects, including the Hitman series and Mindseye, during the 'IOI Showcase: Official Livestream – June 2025.' 007 First Light: How to watch The IOI Showcase livestream will air online on June 6 at 6 PM PDT (6:30 AM IST). It will be streamed on IO Interactive's Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok channels. The livestream is expected to include a trailer, key announcements, a gameplay demo, and a live Q&A session. 007 First Light: What to expect In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the studio wrote: '#EarnTheNumber in 007 First Light, a new game by @iointeractive. The mission brief is headed your way soon. Stay tuned for more information.' The game is expected to explore Bond's origin story—his journey to earning the 007 designation. The storyline is entirely original and not based on any James Bond film. IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak has previously said he hopes this project will mark the beginning of a new trilogy, as reported by TechRadar.
