007 First Light Delayed 2 Months, IO Interactive Moves Launch to May 27, 2026
IO Interactive has confirmed that 007 First Light has been delayed by 2 months, shifting the release from March 27, 2026 to May 27, 2026. The update was delivered via an official statement posted to the game’s social channels, with the studio framing the decision as a quality focused move designed to strengthen the day 1 experience for players.
In the statement, IO Interactive emphasizes that the game is progressing well and is already fully playable from beginning to end, positioning the extra time as a final stretch dedicated to polish, refinement, and release readiness. That phrasing is important because it signals the project is not in a restart situation or a major rebuild phase, but rather in the phase where performance tuning, stability, bug fixing, and last mile content and pacing improvements tend to make the biggest difference in how a stealth action game lands with critics and core fans. As an independent developer and publisher, IO also highlighted that the decision gives the team space to align the finished product with the quality bar players expect at launch, while setting the game up for long term success.
An important update regarding the release date of 007 First Light.
— 007 First Light (@007game.ioi.dk) December 24, 2025 at 1:01 AM
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From a franchise perspective, the delay is unlikely to dampen momentum, especially given how naturally James Bond maps onto IO Interactive’s strengths. The studio’s modern stealth sandbox DNA, readable mission design, and replay friendly structure have made Project 007 an easy match since it was first revealed in 2020, and a 2 month push for polish generally reads as the kind of schedule protection that helps a major release avoid avoidable technical headlines. IO Interactive also reiterated that more updates are planned for early 2026, which keeps the marketing runway intact while giving the team room to land its final quality targets.
In the meantime, 007 First Light continues to build its identity through reveals and showcase beats. IO Interactive has been running its Beyond the Light behind the scenes series, and recent beats around the game have included a spotlight moment at The Game Awards with Lenny Kravitz revealed as Bawma, one of the villains in the new story. The project has also leaned into Bond heritage with confirmation that the iconic Aston Martin Valhalla will appear, signaling that classic Bond fantasy elements are being treated as core pillars rather than optional fan service.
What do you want IO Interactive to prioritize with these extra 2 months, performance optimization, stealth AI consistency, or mission pacing and replay depth?
