It’s not often that a developer lines up so well with an IP that literally everyone calls for them to get a shot at it, but IO Interactive – developers of the Hitman franchise – creating a new James Bond game dovetails perfectly.
That’s what makes today’s announcement that IO will be bringing the first-ever James Bond origin story to gaming so special. The gameplay in their past titles has meshed so well with what a great Bond game would be that it just seems – to quote Thanos – inevitable.
As an origin story, I would think this will be more stealth-heavy than past Bond games – after all, you have to earn the 00 status to have the license to kill, but we’ll have to see how they approach it.
The game is also self-published, according to the press release, which offers IO Interactive a level of freedom they’ve not seen before. I don’t know what MGM and EON are like to deal with on the licensing side of things, but hopefully they won’t shackle IO’s hands with too many restrictions on what they can do with the game.
Expect to hear a whole lot more on this game soon.
Here’s the press release:
IO INTERACTIVE PARTNERS WITH MGM, EON PRODUCTIONS AND DELPHI TO BRING THE FIRST EVER JAMES BOND ORIGIN STORY TO VIDEO GAMING
New Game from the Creators Behind the Award-Winning “Hitman” Franchise, Currently Titled “Project 007” to Introduce Brand New James Bond Story
November 19, 2020—It’s Bond, James Bond, coming to a console and computer screen near you. IO Interactive, in collaboration with MGM, EON Productions and Delphi announced today that they are developing and publishing the very first James Bond origin story with the working title Project 007. Project 007 will feature a wholly original Bond story exclusively as a video game.
Over the last two decades, IO Interactive has created, developed and published multiple award-winning titles in the stealth and espionage video game genre, including the acclaimed Hitman franchise. Project 007 will be powered by IO Interactive’s proprietary Glacier technology. The game will be made for modern systems and platforms.
Project 007 is currently in active development at IO Interactive’s offices in Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmö, Sweden. Both locations are recruiting elite talent from around the world to join the team that will build out this exciting and unique gaming title.
“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.”
Robert Marick, MGM’s Executive Vice President Global Consumer Products and Experiences, said, “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.”
Based on British novelist Ian Fleming’s popular 1950s book series of the same name, James Bond is one of Hollywood’s longest running and most successful film franchises with a catalogue of 24 films released. The 25th installment in the series, No Time To Die, will be released in theaters globally on April 2, 2021. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, No Time To Die stars Daniel Craig in his fifth and final performance as the legendary British Secret Service Agent 007.
About IO Interactive
IO Interactive is an independent videogame development and publishing studio with offices in Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmö, Sweden. As the creative force behind some of the most talked-about multiplatform videogames in the last decade, IOI is dedicated to creating unforgettable characters and experiences using their award-winning proprietary Glacier technology. IO Interactive has been making games for more than 20 years, including the iconic Hitman franchise and the cult-classic Freedom Fighters. For more information, visit: https://ioi.dk.
About MGM
Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television content across all platforms. The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content as well as the premium pay television network EPIX, which is available throughout the U.S. via cable, satellite, telco, and digital distributors. In addition, MGM has investments in numerous other television channels, digital platforms, interactive ventures, and is producing premium short-form content for distribution. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.
About EON Productions
EON Productions Limited and Danjaq LLC are wholly owned and controlled by the Broccoli/Wilson family. Danjaq is the US based company that co-owns, with Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios, the copyright in the existing James Bond films and controls the right to produce future James Bond films. EON Productions, an affiliate of Danjaq, is the UK based production company that has made the James Bond films since 1962 and together with Danjaq controls all worldwide merchandising. For more information, visit www.007.com.
About Delphi
Delphi licenses global franchises and serves as a strategic and financial partner to top independent AAA video game developers. For more information, visit www.delphi.la.
