IO Interactive announced that the release of 007: First Light has been delayed by two months to May 27, 2026.
In a classic social media text announcement, IOI CEO and Game Director Hakan Abrak writes:
“007 First Light is our most ambitious project to date, and the team was fully focused on delivering an unforgettable James Bond experience, combining breathtaking action, globe-trotting, espionage, gadgets, car chases, etc. This decision, as an independent developer and publisher, allows us to ensure that the experience reaches the level of quality you deserve, that you deserve, from day one.
“The game is progressing well and is fully playable from start to finish, so these additional two months will allow us to continue to polish and refine the gameplay, ensuring we deliver the strongest possible version at launch. We are confident that this will position 007 First Light for long-term success, and we sincerely appreciate the patience and continued support we have received since the game was revealed.”
What’s a bit silly is that they only announced the date of the previous March release in September, and at The Game Awards the spectacular cast was just announced, with Lenny Kravitz playing the villain Bawma. And then they waited until Christmas Eve to confirm the latest delay…
I have no doubt that IO is very, very grateful that GTA 6 was recently pushed back to the end of 2026, although it was previously scheduled for May 26, 2026. Otherwise, the studio would have really painted itself into a corner with 007: First Light wanting more polish. They are lucky to have extra breathing room now.
Head here to watch our wider preview of 007: The First Light, including insights into how they decided on the James Bond look, introduced cars, vehicles and high-speed chases along with action elements and, of course, the more open stealth action style inherited from the Hitman series.
So… 007: First Light will be released on May 27, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC. This game is available on Xbox Play Anywhere, which means you can buy it once and play it on Xbox and PC via the Microsoft Store.
Source: Interactive IO
