IO Interactive’s 007 First Light has reportedly moved 1.5 million copies in its first 24 hours, marking a massive debut for the studio’s first non-Hitman project in years.
First Light is a third-person action-stealth game that reimagines a young James Bond, played by Irish actor Patrick Gibson, before he becomes the polished 00 agent fans know from the films. The game leans hard into cinematic presentation, gadgets, fistfights, and Bond-flavored set pieces.
Early players have praised the way IOI blends its Hitman DNA with Uncharted-style action. Stealth, disguises, and social infiltration are all in, but Bond can also talk his way out of trouble, sprint into shootouts, or throw a guard through a table.
The hand-to-hand combat has emerged as a standout, with brutal, environment-driven brawls that let Bond smash bottles, knock guns away, and improvise on the fly. The opening tutorial, structured as a full training montage with movement, driving, shooting, and spycraft, has also been called one of the freshest in years.
Gibson’s performance has won over even early skeptics, with praise going to his charm, one-liners, and the writing around the younger Bond. Moneypenny and the wider MI6 cast also get strong marks.
IOI, the Danish studio behind the Hitman World of Assassination trilogy, has long been seen as a natural fit for Bond thanks to its experience with infiltration, glamorous locations, and elaborate stealth sandboxes. The challenge was always avoiding a straight Hitman clone, and based on launch reactions, they pulled it off.
Bond’s gaming history has been uneven since Rare’s legendary GoldenEye 007 on the Nintendo 64. A 1.5 million day-one number puts First Light in the conversation as the biggest Bond launch in decades and a serious reset for the license under Amazon MGM’s stewardship of the screen franchise.
