Young Bond Trilogy Planned by Hitman Devs

IO Interactive has finally unveiled more about their upcoming game, Project 007! Read on to learn more about the working title based on the iconic spy, James Bond.

A Younger James Bond Takes Center Stage in Project 007IO Interactive Aims for Project 007 to Launch a Trilogy

The studio behind the acclaimed Hitman series, IO Interactive, is focusing on one of cinema's most famous characters—James Bond. Their upcoming game, presently titled Project 007, isn't just aiming for a single adventure. In a recent interview, IO Interactive’s CEO Hakan Abrak stated his wish for Project 007 to launch a new trilogy, revitalizing Bond's world for new gamers.

Since Project 007's announcement on November 19, 2020, anticipation has risen regarding how the studio, renowned for stealth and espionage in Hitman, will apply this expertise to a Bond game. Speaking to IGN on October 16, Abrak hinted the game's development is "amazingly well" underway and will feature a younger Bond—one before his famous double-O status.

"What’s exciting is creating an original story," Abrak told IGN. "It’s thrilling, given the tradition and history… to collaborate on a young Bond for gamers; a Bond gamers can claim as their own and grow with."

Abrak emphasized how the studio has been preparing for this project for over two decades. With Hitman, IO Interactive gained renown for crafting immersive, stealth-focused experiences, and it appears Project 007 will leverage these strengths.

However, James Bond presents a unique challenge. As Abrak states, this is the first time IO is working with an outside intellectual property (IP) instead of something they’ve developed internally. "James Bond is a distinct IP. It’s a massive IP. It’s not our IP… I just hope that we’ll produce a title that will define James Bond in gaming for years to come," Abrak said, adding that the objective is to create a "universe for gamers to possess for many years to come that we can expand alongside the Bond film franchise."

Abrak’s aspirations for the series extend beyond a single game. He foresees Project 007 as the basis of a trilogy. "It’s not a game adaptation of a movie," said Abrak. "It’s a completely original narrative, hopefully the start of a major trilogy in the future." This mirrors the success of IO Interactive’s Hitman series, which has featured Agent 47 undertaking global missions across three acclaimed installments.

Everything We Know About Project 007Project 007 Story

Project 007’s narrative remains undisclosed, but several key facts have surfaced. We know, from the game’s official site, it will present "a completely original Bond story," where "players will assume the role of the world’s most famous Secret Agent to achieve their 00 status in the initial James Bond origin story."

As noted, an IGN interview confirmed its independence from any Cinematic Bond portrayals. Speaking with Edge Magazine in 2023, Abrak indicated this James Bond will possess "a style closer to Daniel Craig than Roger Moore." Project 007 will depict a much younger James Bond, in his early career as a secret agent—prior to his transformation into the sophisticated, expert spy we recognize.

Project 0007 Gameplay

Likewise, we know nothing definitive about Project 007’s gameplay, except for what Abrak mentioned to Edge Magazine back in 2023: "The few other clues we’re able to glean in the office suggest… a more structured experience than Hitman’s improvisational missions," Abrak revealed. "It’s been pitched as ‘the ultimate spycraft fantasy,’ which suggests gadgets—and perhaps a departure from the lethal objectives of Agent 47."

Furthermore, the game will probably be a third-person action game, as hinted at by job postings from IO Interactive. According to PlayStation Universe, back in July of 2021, listings appeared that highlighted a focus on "sandbox storytelling" and "cutting-edge AI," which might suggest that players can anticipate a dynamic open-ended approach to missions akin to the Hitman series.

Project 007 Release Date

Though we don’t have a release date yet, the anticipation continues to mount, especially with IO Interactive hinting that the game is progressing well. Even Abrak couldn’t contain his enthusiasm for the game when he told IGN that, "I don’t have an update today, but believe me, it’s exciting here as well to be talking about it soon… I know it was a brief teaser, not much 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."