James Bond Game 007 First Light Pushed to May 2026

Another mission briefing postponed

The tuxedo is still hanging in Q’s wardrobe. IO Interactive confirmed late Monday that 007 First Light—the long-teased origin story of James Bond—has slipped from its planned 2025 release to May 2026.

What happened?

According to studio co-owner Hakan B. Abrak, the extra months are needed to "polish every bullet casing and every raised eyebrow." Translation: the team wants to avoid the launch-day jitters that have hobbled other spy titles in recent years.

"We want players to feel like they’re stepping into a 1960s film set, not a beta build," Abrak told investors.

What we still know

• The game is a prequel; players meet a 25-year-old Bond before he earns his 00-status.
• IO’s Glacier engine is being rebuilt to deliver seamless stealth, driving, and social deception mechanics.
• No micro-transactions have been announced; the studio insists progression will be "classic, not casino."

Industry ripple

Amazon Games, which will handle global publishing, had already blocked out marketing spend for holiday 2025. Analysts expect that budget to shift toward Blue Protocol and untested MMOs, leaving room for Ubisoft’s Avatar: Frontiers DLC to dominate end-of-year charts.

Fan reaction

On the Bond subreddit, the delay thread hit 12 k upvotes in two hours. The top comment: "I’d rather wait for a gold-plated cartridge than play a rusty mag." Mods have since created a "Coping Kit" sticky—links to every Ian Fleming audiobook and a 24-hour loop of the GoldenEye pause music.

Bottom line

For a franchise that measures its legacy in decades, a six-month setback is pocket change. Still, with Amazon betting big on 007 as a multimedia empire—television spin-offs and merchandise already in production—the pressure is on IO to deliver the most stylish Bond since Connery first adjusted his cufflinks in 1962.