By Juli Scarr
IO Interactive has released the first episode of its new Beyond the Light developer diary series, and it gives a comfortable, easy-going look at how the team is shaping 007 First Light. The video focuses on the early ideas behind the game’s design and how IOI wants you to move through its re-imagined James Bond origin story. If you enjoy seeing how things come together behind the scenes, it’s a nice watch.
The episode features Gameplay Director Andreas Krogh and Senior Level Designer Thomas Pulluello, who talk through the thinking behind mission layouts, pacing, and how they want each encounter to feel. Even from this short slice, you can see the influence of IOI’s experience with the HITMAN series, but it also feels like they’re trying to carve out something that fits Bond specifically.
A Look at Bond Before the Bond We Know
The team explains that 007 First Light is a standalone origin story, which gives them room to explore Bond before he becomes the expert agent we usually see. They walk through the game’s main gameplay pillars, and even in this early look, the structure feels clear:
Spycraft – Watching patrols, slipping into restricted areas, and using quiet tricks to move through a space.
Instinct – Bond’s ability to read pressure, improvise, and sometimes talk his way through trouble.
Gadgets – Your usual Q Branch gear, built to give you more ways to distract, escape, or get clever.
Combat – Clean gunplay, quick takedowns, and moments where the environment becomes part of the action.
The team makes it clear that their goal is to let you approach missions in whatever way feels natural. If you enjoy slow, sneaky paths, the game gives you room to take them. If you’d rather move with confidence and deal with problems head-on, that option is there too. It sounds like 007 First Light is built to support different comfort levels and play styles without pushing you into one specific route.
Looking Ahead to the Next Episodes
Even with just one episode released, this series already gives a clear feel for where 007 First Light is heading. IO Interactive hints at the big Bond moments you expect, including chases, narrow escapes, and those wide cinematic shots that show how risky a situation really is. They do not show gameplay clips of those sequences yet, but the way the team talks about them makes it sound like these moments are built right into the adventure.
The diary keeps things easy to follow. The team is not trying to overwhelm anyone with technical talk. Instead, they explain their ideas in a relaxed way that feels like a conversation with people who genuinely enjoy what they are creating. It matches the tone of the game they are shaping, focused and stylish without feeling stiff.
Future episodes will likely go deeper into the story, world design, and how Bond grows across the campaign. If this first episode is any indication, the rest of the series should give a clearer look at how IO Interactive blends classic Bond flair with the studio’s own approach.
007 First Light launches March 27, 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. If you enjoy behind-the-scenes videos or like seeing how big spy adventures come together, this feels like something worth keeping an eye on.