IO Interactive, the team behind Hitman, is making a brand-new 007 game. James Bond makes his return to video games after a nearly 10 year absence. The beloved spy has been MIA since the Xbox 360/PS3 generation but is making his return. The new 007 game, simply codenamed Project 007, will focus on an origin story for Bond. While Casino Royale dabbled in this area, this will shine a light on how Bond attained his 00 status.
“It’s true that once in a while, the stars do align in our industry,” said Hakan Abrak, CEO of IO Interactive, “Creating an original Bond game is a monumental undertaking and I truly believe that IO Interactive, working closely with our creative partners at EON and MGM, can deliver something extremely special for our players and communities. Our passionate team is excited to unleash their creativity into the iconic James Bond universe and craft the most ambitious game in the history of our studio.”
007 has a notable history in the gaming space with classics such as Goldeneye, Nightfire, and many more. After IO’s Hitman reboot in 2016, many have said they’d be a good fit for the Bond license. I guess this is one of those instances of manifesting something into existence.
“James Bond has a strong legacy in the video game space, with some of the most iconic games of all-time based on the character. Working with our partners at EON and the talented team at IO Interactive, we plan to bring a new take on this legendary franchise to gamers and Bond fans around the world. IO Interactive are masters of crafting living, breathing worlds of immersive storytelling,” said Robert Marick, MGM’s Executive Vice President Global Consumer Products and Experiences.
This announcement comes as fans await the 25th Bond film, No Time to Die. The film will be Daniel Craig’s last 007 outing. No Time to Die will release on April 2nd, 2021.
Project 007 has no release date at the moment. We imagine it might be a few years as IO is planning to ship Hitman 3 in January.
