Hitman Director Reveals First James Bond Game Details
Put on your tux, shake the martinis, and get Miss Moneypenny on speed dial because we have the first details about IO Interactive's upcoming James Bond video game.
Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and James Bond. It's been a huge few weeks for film franchises finding a new lease of life as video games. While all of the previously mentioned have had highs and lows in terms of console and PC outings, it's arguably the legacy of 007 that's the biggest.
Few games have had as much of an impact on the world of gaming as Rare's GoldenEye 007. Back in 1997, the tie-in to the 1995 movie of the same name was praised as popularising first-person shooters for consoles and is rightly held as one of the best video games of all time. Following GoldenEye 007, the James Bond name had great success with the likes of Agent Under Fire, Nightfire, and Everything or Nothing. Unfortunately, the once acclaimed Activison era bowed out with a whimper thanks to 007 Legends in 2013.
After its own success with the Bond-esque Hitman series, IO Interactive is giving 007 his Walther PPK and once again staring down the gun barrel. Much like Bethesda's mysterious Indiana Jones game and Ubisoft's open-world Star Wars outing, the Bond title is simply referred to Project 007 for now.
- Related: Hitman 3 Has An Untitled Goose Game Easter Egg
First Bond game details: What can we expect?
Speaking to Danish outlet Dr.dk (via VG247), IO Interactive Studio Director Hakan Abrak promised this will be a wholly new story that could kick-start a trilogy under IO's banner. Discussing what's on the horizon, Abrak explained, how the "completely original story" should be the start of something and that he “could easily imagine that a trilogy could come out of it". Considering IO has just rounded off its World of Assassination trilogy with Hitman 3, it's a fair assumption to make.
For those wanting to know more, Abrak promised Project 007 will use its own version of Bond rather than a digital recreation of Connery, Brosnan, or Craig. Returning to the idea of telling its own story, it's probably for the best that IO Interactive is charting its own era of the suave spy instead of rehashing a movie we've seen before. Some of the best entries have had original stories, but then again, GoldenEye 077 was the franchise's biggest hit and was based off the movie. Thankfully, IO Interactive isn't charting a video game version of No Time To Die, because we aren't sure it will ever be released.
First Bond game details: How did IO Interactive get the rights?
With the Bond name being on hiatus since 2013, some will be asking how IO Interactive pried the rights from Barbara Broccoli's fingers. Abrak explained the Hitman studio spent two years meeting with Broccoli and stepbrother Michael G Wilson. Broccoli famously said previous entries weren't "worthy enough" of the Bond name and slammed them for including "violence for the sake of violence". Putting this all together with how IO Interactive has handled Hitman, we're guessing Project 007 will have an improved emphasis on stealth elements.
Project 007 was only announced in November 2020, meaning we're probably a long way off jumping behind the wheel of the Aston Martin DB5. Perhaps the biggest question still hanging over IO Interactive's take is, which era the game will be set in? Will Bond be back to his misogynistic womanising ways of yesteryear, or will we have a more modern approach the Daniel Craig era of movies have represented?
It's been 20 years since GoldenEye 007 proved James Bond could work off the silver screen, and with its shadow still looming large over any title that has the Bond name attached, it remains to be seen whether the magic of Hitman can be transferred to 007. Who knows, could we see a cameo from Agent 47? Let's hope this is one idea that goes down smoothly like a vodka martini.
Stay up to date with all the latest esports and gaming news by checking out our social channels here: Twitter | Facebook | Discord
Images via IO Interactive | Activision
