"Young Bond" Introduced in Hitman Devs' Project 007 Trilogy

IO Interactive has finally unveiled more details about their highly anticipated game, Project 007! Dive into the latest on this exciting working title inspired by the legendary spy, James Bond.

A Younger James Bond Takes Center Stage in Project 007

IO Interactive Aims for Project 007 to Begin a Trilogy

The masterminds behind the critically acclaimed Hitman series, IO Interactive, are setting their sights on one of the most iconic characters in cinematic history—James Bond. Their upcoming game, currently titled Project 007, is not just another standalone adventure. In a recent interview, IO Interactive’s CEO Hakan Abrak expressed his vision for Project 007 to kickstart a brand-new trilogy, revitalizing Bond’s universe for a new generation of gamers.

Since the announcement of Project 007 on November 19, 2020, the gaming community has been buzzing with excitement about how the studio known for stealth and espionage in the Hitman series will translate these skills into a Bond game. In an October 16 interview with IGN, Abrak teased that the game is progressing "amazingly well" and will introduce players to a younger version of Bond—before he earned his iconic double-O status.

"What’s exciting about that project is that we actually got to do an original story," Abrak shared with IGN. "It’s extremely exciting with all the tradition and all the history there is… 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."

Abrak highlighted how the studio has been preparing for this project for over two decades. With Hitman, IO Interactive became renowned for crafting immersive, stealth-driven experiences, and it seems Project 007 will leverage these strengths.

However, James Bond presents a unique challenge. As Abrak puts it, this is the first time IO is working with an external intellectual property (IP) rather than something they’ve created in-house. "James Bond is a different IP. It’s a huge IP. It’s not our IP… I just hope that we’ll do a thing that will define James Bond in gaming for years to come," Abrak said, adding that the goal is to create a "universe for gamers to own for many years to come that we can grow with that next to the Bond on the movies."

Abrak’s ambitions for the series don’t stop at a single game. He envisions Project 007 as the foundation of a trilogy. "It’s not a gamification of a movie," said Abrak. "It’s completely beginning and becoming a story, hopefully for a big trilogy out there in the future." This vision echoes the success of IO Interactive’s Hitman series, which has seen Agent 47 traverse the globe on deadly assignments over three critically acclaimed installments.

Everything We Know About Project 007

Project 007 Story

Project 007’s story remains largely under wraps, but some intriguing details have emerged over time. According to the game’s official website, it will feature "a wholly original Bond story," where "players will step into the shoes of the world’s favorite Secret Agent to earn their OO status in the very first James Bond origin story."

As confirmed in an interview with IGN, it will have no connection with any of the actors who have portrayed Bond in the films. Speaking to Edge Magazine in 2023, Abrak mentioned that this version of James Bond will have "a tone closer to Daniel Craig than Roger Moore." Project 007 will showcase a much younger James Bond, during his early days as a secret agent—before he became the suave, skilled spy we know today.

Project 007 Gameplay

Details about Project 007’s gameplay are still scarce, but Abrak revealed to Edge Magazine in 2023 that "the few other breadcrumbs we’re able to pick up in the office suggest… a more scripted experience than Hitman’s freeform jaunts." He described it as "the ultimate spycraft fantasy," hinting at the use of gadgets and a departure from the lethal objectives typical of Agent 47.

Moreover, the game is likely to be a third-person action experience, as suggested by job listings from IO Interactive. According to PlayStation Universe, in July 2021, listings emerged that emphasized a focus on "sandbox storytelling" and "cutting-edge AI," indicating that players can expect a dynamic, open-ended approach to missions similar to the Hitman series.

Project 007 Release Date

While we don’t have a release date yet, anticipation continues to build, especially with IO Interactive teasing that the game is progressing well. Even Abrak couldn’t contain his excitement for the game when he told IGN, "I don’t have an update today, but believe me, it’s itching here as well to be talking about it soon… I know it was a little teaser, not a lot of information, but there’s a lot of cool stuff coming up. We are also very excited and when we are ready with that, we’ll be opening up."