007: First Light isn’t Hitman and IO Interactive is “really happy” people are starting to realise that
007: First Light, the upcoming James Bond game from IO Interactive, is generating discussion around how distinctly different it is from the studio’s acclaimed Hitman franchise. Rather than viewing this as criticism, IO Interactive has expressed that they are “really happy” players are starting to understand and appreciate the differences between the two properties.
Recent previews released ahead of the game’s May 27 release have highlighted these fundamental design divergences. While the Hitman series is known for its sandbox approach that rewards creative elimination of targets through various methods, 007: First Light takes a more linear, traditional approach. The game has been characterized as “a very straightforward, really quite old school, linear third-person stealth-action game”—a departure from the open-ended gameplay loops players have come to expect from IO Interactive.
This represents a deliberate creative decision by the studio to craft an experience more suited to the James Bond universe and franchise expectations. Rather than the emergent gameplay and player agency that defined Hitman’s sandbox environments, 007: First Light appears focused on delivering a more cinematic, story-driven stealth adventure in line with classic spy game traditions.
IO Interactive’s positive reception to this distinction suggests confidence in their vision for the Bond franchise. The studio seems eager to establish 007: First Light as its own entity rather than being perceived as a Hitman reskin, with preview coverage helping reset player expectations ahead of the May 27 launch.