Sony has announced the next PlayStation State of Play event, and it’s coming up soon and focused exclusively on the upcoming James Bond game, 007 First Light, from Hitman developer IO Interactive.
The State of Play takes place Wednesday, September 3, starting at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 7 PM BST / 8 PM CEST. The broadcast will feature “over 30 minutes” of gameplay for the upcoming title, including a playthrough of Bond’s first mission when he becomes an MI6 recruit.
“The action includes everything from high-speed car chases to on-foot stealth sequences and shootouts. Stay tuned after the playthrough for insights from IO Interactive on the intense espionage gameplay,” the developer said.
You will be able to watch the State of Play in all the usual places, including YouTube and Twitch.
The State of Play event in June featured 007 First Light’s reveal trailer, so once again, Sony has the scoop on the latest information for the James Bond game. The connection between Sony and James Bond goes back a long time. Sony Pictures has been the longtime distributor of James Bond movies, but Amazon MGM Studios is taking over for the next movie.
When was the last State of Play?
The last State of Play took place it July and was focused on Ghost of Yotei. This will be the fifth State of Play so far in 2025. Here’s a quick look back at the recent events.
The newest State of Play for 007 First Light is no surprise, as the existence of a PlayStation broadcast in September leaked some time ago. A Nintendo Direct event could follow on September 11 or 12.
What is 007 First Light?
007 First Light is a new James Bond game from Hitman developer IO Interactive. There have been numerous James Bond video games over the years, of course–including the iconic GoldenEye 007–but 007 First Light is the first to tell an origin story for the world-famous character.
007 First Light has players stepping into the shoes of James Bond when he’s 26 years old and in the Royal Navy, prior to becoming the British superspy everyone knows today. He gets recruited for MI6 and eventually its elite 00 section.
“Bond’s adventures will take players all around the globe, coming face to face with allies and foes (or in some cases, both), while choosing how they overcome obstacles and challenges, whether it be with brute force, cunning guile, or charming wit,” the game’s press release said.
“We’re pouring our energy and passion for the franchise into creating a cinematic adventure that pushes the boundaries of what a James Bond game can be, while telling a fresh, new story,” the developer said.
The third-person action-adventure game will feature other characters like M, Q, and Moneypenny, as well as a brand-new character created for the game, John Greenway, and a mysterious character named Isola. And of course, IO is promising “a whole new cast of villains.”
IO intends for the game to kick off a new trilogy. CEO Hakan Abrak told IGN that First Light won’t be based on any of the existing Bond movies. Instead, the developer is being allowed to create its own version of James Bond for the game.
“What’s exciting about that project is that we actually got to do an original story,” Abrak said. “So it’s not a gamification of a movie. It’s completely beginning and becoming a story, hopefully for a big trilogy out there in the future. And equally important and exciting, it’s a new Bond. It’s a Bond we built from the ground up for gamers. It’s extremely exciting with all the tradition and all the history there is there together to work on this together with the family of creating a young Bond for gamers; a Bond that the gamers can call their own and grow with.”
IO has not confirmed who is playing James Bond in First Light, but fans believe they’ve worked it out, saying they believe Irish actor Patrick Gibson is playing the role. He’s known for his roles in The Tudors, Shadow and Bone, and Tolkien. Most recently, he played a young Dexter Morgan on the Dexter prequel series Original Sin. Indeed, Gibson certainly looks the part. But anything is possible.
First Light is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, and PC.
