The statement, made during an interview by a senior licensing producer at IO Interactive, comes on the heels of growing fanbase concern that the James Bond-centric title may be closer to the studio's Hitman series than a fresh start.
IO Interactive, known for its work on the Hitman series, is spearheading 007 First Light. After a post-PlayStation State of Play for the new James Bond game, IO Interactive firmly addressed concerns of the game bearing resemblance to the Hitman series, with few suggesting the game is a mere reskin.
In an interview with GamesRadar+, senior licensing producer Theuns Smit iterated that the game was going for an entirely original approach, stating:
IO Interactive has certainly stepped out of their comfort zone by implementing new mechanics such as drivable vehicles, which was a prominent moment in the 007 First Light State of Play gameplay sequence. Further expressing distinction from the Hitman series, Smit added:
"It comes about the game first. The experience first. If you're looking at Hitman, it's the way it is for a particular reason, because that's the gameplay experience we want to give. For Bond, it's not exactly that. It's not a reskin of that."
Further talking about the implementation of new mechanics, Franchise Art Director Rasmus Poulsen talked about the hurdles IO faced, which required special hires. Poulsen commented:
"We had to bring onto the team specific driving expertise, i.e., people that had experience coding, setting up, tweaking, and balancing. Because, of course, it's a balancing act of making a vehicle feel both exciting, credible, and dangerous at the same time as being approachable and fun for a wide audience.
So absolutely, that balance is very difficult and indeed a new adventure for us, so something we took very seriously. And I'm pleased to say, I feel we have landed in an amazing space."
007 First Light lands on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X, PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, and Nintendo Switch 2 on March 27, 2026, and is now available for pre-order.