While IO Interactive’s Hitman World of Assassination isn’t exactly known for its gun play, the studio is more focused on providing a fun gameplay experience if players want to pull out their guns in the upcoming 007: First Light. In an interview with PCGamer (via GamesRadar), gameplay director Andreas Krogh spoke about how action gameplay will feel more rewarding in the upcoming title.
This largely comes down to the fact that IO Interactive sees combat in its Hitman games as a failure state, since gameplay in the titles revolve more around stealth. With 007: First Light, however, Krogh notes that players won’t want to outright avoid combat. Rather, drawing guns is being designed as a viable option.
“In Hitman we viewed ranged combat as a last resort for most players, which made it fairly hard and for most players something they wanted to avoid,” said Krogh. “This time around we have a character that invites ranged combat to be a viable option.”
In 007: First Light, IO Interactive wants players to be able to try their hand at stealth, and then pull out their guns to go on a killing spree if they want to, essentially offering a different gameplay experience in itself. With this design in mind, the studio wants to make sure that the shooting feels just as satisfying as the sneaking.
“First and foremost, we wanted to create a great system both mechanically and technically, but we also wanted it to feel fluid and responsive,” explained Krogh. “The aim is that even if you try to stealth and things go wrong, you will just handle the situation slightly different than what you set out to do, but you will still have a very satisfying experience shooting your way through.”
Earlier this month, audio and missions director Dominic Vega had revealed that players won’t get to hear the iconic James Bond theme song when they play 007: First Light right off the bat. Rather, he explained that players will ultimately need to have Bond earn his theme song, much like he’ll earn his 007 codename over the course of the game.
“Throughout the campaign he grows, and he’s earning his number – and he’s earning his themes,” said Vega, noting that “60 years of Bond, there’s a lot of sonic iconography.”
He also spoke about working with duo composers Joe Henson and Alexis Smith—known as The Flight—in creating music for 007: First Light. “They’re a really great composer duo with some amazing credits and some amazing music,” said Vega. “They’re a perfect blend of the sort of orchestral mastery that is required for Bond while contributing something modern, something that players I think will attach on to as a fantastic foot forward for the 007 franchise.”
007: First Light is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on March 27, 2026. For more details about the upcoming title, here are 10 things you need to know. Also check out how IO Interactive first pitched 007: First Light to get the rights to use the James Bond character for a game.
