007 First Light just revealed a load of gameplay in a State of Play showcase that aired earlier today. Now, it debuting gameplay at a PlayStation State of Play in particular, and not, say, one of IO Interactive’s own studio showcases, is odd for a couple of reasons: firstly, 007 First Light is not a PlayStation console exclusive, launching also on Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S; and secondly, State of Play showcases typically bear an expectation of games being announced, not one non-console-exclusive game being given the time of day.
Anyone who’s been itching to discover more about IO Interactive’s James Bond origin story will be ecstatic that its luxurious Legacy edition has been revealed, as well as that 007 First Light’s release date of March 27, 2026, has been announced. However, this showcase puts into perspective the question of how vital dedicated, single-game State of Plays are, all while 007 First Light debatably didn’t wear its nicest suit.
007 First Light isn’t Looking as Suave as Its Protagonist
007 First Light’s State of Play gameplay doesn’t start on the hottest note, instead choosing to focus on a dogged and scenic car ride, probably as a tutorial on how to drive, toward the Slovakian Carpathian Hotel with voiceover dialogue. Indeed, it takes quite a while before anything of substance occurs—an odd choice, to say the least, for what to lend a focal point to in 007 First Light’s first lengthy gameplay showcase.
Of course, this early gameplay’s slow-burn, methodical nature is probably going to make a lot more sense and feel far more familiar to fans of IO Interactive’s Hitman. Indeed, 007 First Light seems to be taking shape as a healthy mix of Hitman and Uncharted, and its pacing may well be its biggest drawback as it wrestles with both halves of its identity. It’d be reductive to say that a 007 game should center wholly on action set-piece sequences without allowing said sequences to breathe with rich atmosphere and worldbuilding, and as an opening level, it seems perfectly satisfactory.
That said, it’s maybe not the best first impression that First Light could give when it takes from 1:13 to 6:29 in the State of Play showcase footage for players to control James Bond outside the car, and until 14:06 before any real action begins (a car pursuit, no less). If nothing else, this State of Play suggests that players can expect to spend a lot of time driving.
Dedicated State of Plays are Naturally a Mixed Bag
Everyone knew not to expect anything other than information and gameplay for 007 First Light, namely from James Bond’s first MI6 mission. As such, this particular State of Play was never going to appeal to everyone, much less anyone who wasn’t interested in learning about 007 First Light. That’s the innate issue with dedicated, single-game State of Play showcases: unless the game is already highly anticipated, the showcase is going to inevitably fall into a niche category, especially compared to broader State of Play showcases that traditionally share updates on announced games and, most excitingly, reveal brand-new PlayStation games from either third- or first-party studios.
In fact, the same could arguably be said about Ghost of Yotei’s State of Play showcase. State of Plays work well when they behave like presser events with multiple games as insight into what PlayStation players can look forward to, and 007 First Light’s State of Play is further proof of why.
Ironically, according to Insider Gaming, a proper State of Play is reportedly planned for the end of the month, which could feature Insomniac’s Marvel’s Wolverine, if legitimate.
OpenCritic Reviews
- Released
- May 27, 2026
- ESRB
- Teen / Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- IO Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- IO Interactive
WHERE TO PLAY
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
