Earlier this month, during PlayStation’s State of Play, IO Interactive introduced the actors behind several of the key characters in 007: First Light: Patrick Gibson as James Bond, Priyanga Burford as M, Lennie James as John Greenway, Alastair Mackenzie as Q, Kiera Lester as Moneypenny, and Noémie Nakai as Miss Roth (formerly known as Isola).
Now, at the opening of the Tokyo Game Show, IO Interactive and Amazon MGM Studios returned with another reveal during the Xbox Showcase. This time, the spotlight fell on Gemma Chan, who joins the ensemble as Dr. Selina Tan, MI6’s Head of Tactical Simulation.
Who is Dr. Selina Tan? MI6’s Head of Tactical Simulations
From the trailer, the official blog post, and character reveal tweets, we already know that 35-year-old Dr. Selina Tan is a senior figure at MI6, leading the agency’s Tactical Simulations Division — a program created to test and refine the skills of Britain’s most promising recruits. Her background combines psychology, game theory and strategy, reflecting her earlier career as Head of Research in the private sector, where she specialized in immersive technologies.
In the Xbox Showcase trailer, she is first shown fiddling around at a desk before activating the simulation system — whether this is her own office or simply a corner inside Q-Branch remains unclear. The moment makes her appear a little scattered, even endearingly so. Immediately after she turns to Bond and asks, “Do you have questions?” — then, after the briefest pause, adds a hurried “Please have questions,” as if worried none might come.
The quick add-on shows a more vulnerable, human side to her character. Rather than the perfectly composed MI6 officer, she feels like someone genuinely eager to connect and be heard.
Gemma Chan – From Eternals to 007: First Light
Gemma Chan, 42, was born in London, England, and studied law at Oxford University before training as an actress at the Drama Centre London. Before her breakthrough in film and television, she briefly worked as a model.
Her screen career ranges from early roles in series such as Doctor Who and Secret Diary of a Call Girl to her acclaimed performance in Channel 4’s sci-fi drama Humans (2015–2018), where she played the synthetic “Anita/Mia.” She gained international recognition as Astrid Leong-Teo in Crazy Rich Asians (2018), before joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel (2019) and later taking on a leading role as Sersi in Eternals (2021). She also starred in The Creator (2023).
Roles in video games are not entirely new to Chan — she previously voiced Erys in Diablo IV. But in 007: First Light, she takes on a much larger role, for the first time combining both her voice and physical likeness to portray a character.
“Joining the world of James Bond in video games has been such an exciting experience. Selina Tan is a fascinating character, and I can’t wait for players to meet her. Bringing Selina to life in 007 First Light has been an absolute privilege.”—Gemma Chan
How Dr. Selina Tan Might Shape Bond’s Journey
While her official role as Head of Tactical Simulations is well established, the gameplay implications are still open to interpretation. The Xbox Showcase trailer even places her visibly inside Q-Branch, though it’s important to stress that she is not taking over the role of Q. Instead, her focus lies on simulations and training rather than gadget design.
IOI has confirmed that Bond unlocks new abilities through story progression rather than through skill trees. This makes it plausible that between missions, players will return to MI6 and test these abilities in simulations under Dr. Tan’s supervision. The trailer even teases this possibility: in the background, a large dummy marked “AI” can be seen — perhaps a nod to computer-controlled training opponents.
From interviews at gamescom, we also know that completing challenges may reward players with additional outfits for Bond. What remains unclear is how these challenges will be integrated into the game. They may not only appear alongside the main story missions but also surface as separate trials inside Tan’s simulations. Given her academic focus on game theory, this would make perfect sense: her division could logically provide the kind of playful experiments and reward structures that keep players engaged.
That connection would also set the stage for post-launch content. The Tactical Simulations Division could easily host DLCs, rotating missions, or community mods, allowing players to revisit past missions under new conditions, with altered gadgets, vehicles, or approaches. In that sense, Tan’s work at MI6 may become the narrative backbone not just for training Bond, but for keeping the game engaging long after launch.
What Comes Next for the 007: First Light Cast
This reveal is unlikely to be the last. Just days before the Xbox Showcase, IO Interactive invited fans to submit questions for Patrick Gibson (Bond) and Noémie Nakai (Miss Roth) on the official Discord channel. That strongly suggests we may soon hear more directly from the cast — adding fresh layers of personality and insight to the characters of 007: First Light.
What do you think — what exactly will Selina Tan’s role as Head of Tactical Simulations be in the game? Will she simply guide Bond through tutorials and challenges, or could she have a much more direct influence on his missions — shaping how he reacts and adapts in the field? Share your theories in the comments.
