We haven't yet had a chance to properly play 007 First Light, James Bond's new adventure from Hitman maker IO Interactive, but there's already a suggestion of a followup. Given the pedigree on both sides, it certainly seems feasible, and the devs are ready should it happen.
Hakan Abrak, the CEO of IO Interactive, commented on working with MGM and Amazon, the latter of which famously acquired Bond's owner in 2022, to The Game Business. "We have a great relationship. We are all about quality and to stand by what we do," he says.
"And I think Amazon is in the same place. There’s no doubt that we all want to see how this is doing," he continues. "It’s not only the Amazon MGM side, it's also the IO Interactive side. Is our character going to be well received? Is there going to be a community that likes him and wants to see more?"
You have two fervent communities to garner reactions from here, in both James and Hitman. But there's always a chance either one bounces off this project for one reason or another. Maybe 007 fans would prefer another straight-laced FPS, or people could just wind up yearning for another installment in Agent 47's misadventures.
Personally, my trust is completely in IO after the most recent Hitman trilogy. The team's understanding and execution of stealth design is extremely up my street, and I'm looking forward to lurking around as the suave special agent, ruining a bunch of rich peoples' dinner parties, and trying to take down a villain or two.
Getting candid, Abrak mentions he's just glad they get to make this game at all. If there's demand for another, all the better. "I’m so grateful given the stories we hear every day in this industry," he says. "We are so blessed that we are in a place where we can pick and choose what we want to do. So, if this goes really well and it’s a beloved thing from the community, why not?"
