In a new interview with Edge Magazine (via GamesRadar), IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abran has revealed more about the studio’s upcoming game adaptation of the long-running James Bond franchise, calling it the “ultimate spycraft fantasy” for players.
While the game is still several years away from release, IO Interactive’s past form with the critically-acclaimed Hitman series provides plenty of reason to believe in the project. The studio specialises in unique stealth adventures with a spy lean, and while Hitman is more focussed on assassination than clever tactics and infiltration, it sounds like Agent 47’s exploits won’t be too dissimilar to those of the video game version of James Bond.
Speaking to Edge, Abran reportedly hinted that the upcoming game will be a gritty, realistic interpretation of James Bond’s spy adventures, with more ‘Daniel Craig’ in its DNA than Pierce Brosnan or Roger Moore.
For those unfamiliar with the Bond universe, the Daniel Craig version of the character used far fewer gadgets, and instead focussed on tactical combat, infiltration, and getting hands-on with villains. Brosnan’s Bond, in contrast, had a raft of wild gadgets at his disposal, including an invisible car and a suit that transformed into a plush protective ball.
While gadgets are still speculated to be part of the action, per Edge, it’s more likely IO Interactive’s interpretation will continue the darker themes of the Craig era.
Read: Hitman’s IO Interactive is developing a high fantasy MMO
As GamesRadar notes, this comparison doesn’t mean IO’s project will be inspired by any one film or story in James Bond history. Rather, it’s being described as a new interpretation of the mythos, likely inspired directly by the original novel series, and the film franchise as a whole.
At this stage, the adventure is expected to be more narrative-focussed than IO’s Hitman series, with third-person action gameplay hauling players along an original story, with a fresh cast. For now, the studio has not revealed anything further about the project – although we do expect more news and updates, potentially in 2024.
The project has been in the works for some time now, with its initial public announcement arriving in 2021. Stay tuned for more details about what IO Interactive has in store.
