007 First Light Dev on Comparisons: 'We Can’t Simply Reskin…

A pair of senior IO Interactive developers have addressed concerns surrounding whether the studio's next game, 007 First Light, is simply a "reskin" of its prior Hitman titles. The gameplay shown for 007 First Light so far evidently draws inspiration from a lot of franchises, but some have been questioning if IO Interactive's take on James Bond is simply Agent 47 in a tuxedo.

007 First Light May Be a Long-Term Solution to This James Bond Problem

IO Interactive first announced Project 007 in 2020, which incited joy among James Bond fans who had been waiting for a new game adaptation since 2012's Activision-published 007 Legends, which didn't fare well critically and commercially. As the developer behind the beloved Hitman stealth action franchise, IO Interactive's pedigree lent itself well to an exciting take on the espionage-centric James Bond franchise. With Project 007 now having been revealed as 007 First Light, reactions to the upcoming IO Interactive game have been largely very positive.

007 First Light Offer Something Films Couldnt

007 First Light Could Offer Something The Bond Films Never Could

IO Interactive's younger James Bond could be the key to 007 First Light's success as it explores the character in a way the films never could.

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By Martin Wood

IO Interactive "Never Even Considered" Reskinning Hitman into 007 First Light

However, a handful of skeptics have been quick to dismiss 007 First Light as a potential reskin of the Hitman games. After all, the latter's systems — disguises, stealth takedowns, sandbox levels — seemed like they could easily slot into a James Bond framework, and 007 First Light's gameplay reveal at last week's State of Play looked familiar to the Hitman series. Now, 007 First Light franchise art director Rasmus Poulsen has insisted in an interview with The Thumb Wars that IO Interactive "can't simply reskin a Hitman game and call it Bond," and that the team never even considered the prospect. He explained that with 007 First Light, the studio wanted "width" beyond anything it'd built before, with "a really creative approach" tailored to Bond.

007 First Light senior licensing producer Theuns Smit echoed Poulsen's point in an interview with GamesRadar+, noting that IO Interactive has expanded significantly since the game's initial announcement. The influx of new talent brought "fresh eyes" and "fresh expertise," which have been instrumental in pushing 007 First Light beyond the Hitman mold. So, while the DNA of IO Interactive's past work is still visible in 007 First Light's stealth mechanics and world interactivity, the game's overall design philosophy and creative approach are fundamentally different.

While core Hitman elements like social manipulation, bustling public spaces, and clever distractions do carry over to 007 First Light, it's worth noting that the latter layers on refined weapon handling, cinematic set pieces, and a more robust narrative, which wasn't much of a focus for Agent 47. Another key differentiator for 007 First Light is full vehicle gameplay, a mechanic completely absent from IO Interactive's previous projects.

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