As part of the IOI Access Event, held alongside The Video Game Awards in December, IO Interactive presented the physical collectibles from 007 First Light to the public for the first time. The replicas from the Legacy Edition and Collector’s Edition were displayed in vitrines inside a lobby area, offering a clear look at what appear to be the near-final versions of these items.
Discord user INeedToCatchThatBellhop attended the event, photographed the displays, and shared the images with us. While limited in number, these photos go beyond promotional renders and concept art, allowing for a more grounded look at scale, surface detail, and overall presentation.
Before diving into the physical replicas themselves, we briefly place the Golden Gun within Bond history and outline the details that define its identity. From there, we take a closer look at how 007 First Light translates that iconic weapon into a display-focused replica — where it succeeds, and where simplifications appear. We then conclude by turning to the Collector’s Edition mask, shifting the focus from mechanical fidelity to sculpt, material choice, and long-term presence.
The Golden Gun and Its Place in Bond Legacy
To understand the Golden Gun replica included in the 007 First Light Legacy Edition, it helps to briefly revisit its cinematic origin. At this point, there is no indication that the Golden Gun plays a role in the game’s story. Its inclusion is therefore not about narrative continuity within First Light, but about James Bond’s wider legacy.
The Man with the Golden Gun, released in 1974, marked Roger Moore’s second appearance as James Bond. Unlike many Bond films, its central conflict is driven less by global conspiracy and more by personal rivalry.
The story opens with an unusually direct provocation. Before Bond is assigned a mission, he receives a warning: a golden bullet engraved with “007”. Only afterwards does MI6 task him with recovering the Solex Agitator, a powerful solar-energy device — a trail that ultimately leads to Francisco Scaramanga, portrayed by Christopher Lee.
Scaramanga is not a political ideologue or would-be world ruler. He is a professional assassin who measures himself against Bond, seeing the kill as a personal benchmark. His private island becomes the stage for a carefully prepared final duel — one that places equal emphasis on the opponent and the weapon itself.
Why the Golden Gun Is Special
Rather than carrying a conventional firearm, Scaramanga assembles his weapon from ordinary personal items, allowing it to remain concealed until the final moment — a concept introduced specifically for the film adaptation. Once assembled, its golden finish immediately sets it apart, signalling exclusivity as much as intent.
In The Man with the Golden Gun, the weapon is constructed from:
- a pen forming the barrel
- a cigarette case serving as the grip
- a lighter housing the firing mechanism
- a cufflink acting as the trigger
Once assembled, the Golden Gun fires a single, extremely accurate shot. One bullet. One target. No margin for error. The design mirrors Scaramanga’s way of working: controlled, discreet, and focused on a single decisive moment rather than prolonged combat.
This unusual construction is precisely why surface details, proportions, and transitions matter so much when evaluating any replica of the weapon.
When the film was released, the Golden Gun divided opinion. Some viewers saw it as extravagant or overly stylised, fitting the lighter tone of the era. Over time, that perception shifted. What once appeared gimmicky came to be seen as distinctive — a weapon inseparable from a single antagonist and a personal duel. Today, the Golden Gun is widely regarded as one of the franchise’s most recognisable weapons, valued less for realism than for its unmistakable visual identity.
The 007 First Light Legacy Edition Replica
One aspect that immediately works in the Legacy Edition’s favour is its use of real gold plating. The Golden Gun relief itself is confirmed to feature a genuine gold-coated finish. Based on the visual impression, the accompanying “007 First Light” plaque — and potentially the five decorative cartridges — appear to share the same treatment, though this has not been officially specified. Visually, this gives the piece the unmistakable presence of a true Golden Gun, not just in colour, but in the way light reflects across its surfaces.
From a display perspective, the impression is clear: this is meant to read as a golden weapon, not a painted imitation. In that sense, the Legacy Edition comes remarkably close to the idea of a Golden Gun as it exists in Bond iconography.
At the same time, it is important to be clear about the construction. The Golden Gun included in the 007: First Light Legacy Edition cannot be assembled or disassembled and is not built from separate components. Instead, it is a relief-style display piece, where the weapon, the five “007”-embossed cartridges, and the plaque form a single visual composition designed primarily for presentation.
The object is clearly conceived as an exhibition piece — something meant to be looked at rather than handled. It feels closer to a weapon mounted for display, similar in spirit to the armory-style presentations seen in Hitman, than to a prop intended to be picked up or taken apart. The only element that appears to offer a degree of interaction is the secret compartment, likely housed in the base of the display, though it is not visible in the available photos.
The official 007 Store describes the replica as “made to scale.” In this context, the phrase refers to accurate proportions, not mechanical functionality. Based on the known dimensions of the display base (38 × 25 × 17 cm) and the visible relationship between the weapon and its surroundings, the Golden Gun itself appears to be very close to full scale, plausibly matching the original prop’s length of around 24 cm.
Comparing Current Golden Gun Replicas
Since the release of The Man with the Golden Gun in 1974, Scaramanga’s iconic weapon has been recreated in a number of officially licensed forms. Earlier high-quality replicas — such as those produced by SD Studios in the 1990s — date back several decades and are today long discontinued, primarily known through auctions and private collections.
For the present comparison, the focus therefore remains on more recent replicas that are easier to contextualise and closer in overall positioning. Within that framework, the two Factory Entertainment models represent clearly different interpretations. The Factory Entertainment Limited Edition Prop Replica is the most elaborate version: a 1:1 scalerecreation of the Golden Gun with real gold plating, which can be fully assembled and disassembled in the same manner as the original film prop. The Factory Entertainment Scaled Prop Replica, by contrast, is produced at 1:2 scale, uses no real gold, and is designed as a solid, non-modular display piece, prioritising form over mechanical fidelity.
With that reference frame in place, the 007 First Light Legacy Edition can be viewed in direct visual context.
At first glance, the overall impression of the Legacy Edition Golden Gun replica is surprisingly positive. Even before examining individual elements, the piece reads immediately as a recognisable and coherent interpretation of Scaramanga’s weapon, with proportions and presence that feel convincing within a display setting.
Placed side by side, all three replicas remain remarkably close in silhouette and overall proportions. None departs fundamentally from the familiar on-screen shape. The differences only begin to surface when attention shifts to how specific components are resolved and how surface detail is handled.
One of the most convincing touches on the Legacy Edition appears at the upper section of the weapon (A in the image above), where the lighter component would slide out during assembly. Despite the replica being a flat relief rather than a complete object, this narrow strip still carries a clearly defined lighter profile, creating the impression that the component has been partially extended from its housing. The result is a subtle illusion of depth, suggesting mechanical logic even within the constraints of a fixed display piece.
A related detail can be observed at the junction between the extended lighter section and the hinged cigarette-case lid (B), where the weapon transitions from the lighter body into the folded grip assembly. On the 007 First Light Legacy Edition, this junction forms a more pronounced step, creating a clearer visual break between the components. This treatment brings the Legacy Edition closer to the stunt version of the Golden Gun seen during the duel sequence between Bond and Scaramanga (see clip above). By contrast, the Factory Entertainment replicas — which are based on the gimmick version of the prop used primarily for assembly shots — feature a much narrower, smoother step in this area.
Where the Legacy Edition simplifies detail most noticeably is the grip section (C), originally formed by the cigarette case. On the original film prop and on the Factory Entertainment Limited Edition, this surface features a fine ribbed texture. On the Legacy Edition, it is rendered smooth. In this respect, it aligns more closely with the Factory Entertainment Scaled Prop Replica, which also omits this detail. Given the prominence of this surface, the absence of the ribbing slightly reduces visual depth when viewed head-on.
A similar simplification appears at the rear of the lighter, where the cartridge is inserted (D). The hinge for the lid is clearly suggested along the lower edge, preserving the logic of the original design. The slot in which the lid sits, however, could have been more strongly defined. As executed here, the flatter treatment causes this upper section to appear slightly enlarged from certain angles.
Taken as a whole, the 007 First Light Legacy Edition occupies a clear middle position between the two Factory Entertainment interpretations. In terms of detail density, it sits closer to the Scaled Prop Replica in some areas, while retaining a sense of scale, proportion, and presence that aligns more closely with the full-size Limited Edition.
In concrete terms, the Factory Entertainment Scaled Prop Replica retailed at €80, while the Factory Entertainment Limited Edition Prop Replica launched in 2019 at €650 (early bird) and €800 at regular release. Factoring in the included base game, the Golden Gun display within the 007: First Light Legacy Edition effectively sits at around €220, placing it neatly between these two approaches.
Despite that middle-ground positioning, the Factory Entertainment Limited Edition — long since sold out — remains the benchmark for detail fidelity, thanks to its 1:1 scale, real gold plating, full disassembly, a complete gold-finished “007” cartridge, and a glazed wooden presentation box.
007 First Light Collector’s Edition – The Mask
At first glance, the Collector’s Edition mask impresses through its sculptural quality. The facial features are finely balanced and carefully proportioned, avoiding exaggeration in favour of realism. Even small surface details — individual hair strands and the laurel wreath — are clearly defined, reinforcing the impression of a carefully modelled object. Overall, the mask feels closer to an antique museum bust than to typical game merchandise, with crisp transitions around the nose, brow and cheekbones that suggest a high level of craftsmanship.
The material remains difficult to assess based on the single real-world photo currently available. Both resin and PU-based flexible compounds are plausible choices. This uncertainty ties directly into the colour impression, which reads more as bronze than pure gold. Warm, diffuse lighting may account for part of this effect, but the finish itself also appears restrained.
Unlike the Golden Gun replica, which features a real gold coating and therefore presents a bright, saturated yellow-gold appearance, no such precious metal is used for the mask. In this context, a vivid gelb-gold finish would likely have felt artificial on a face-shaped object. The slightly muted, bronze-leaning tone instead supports the impression of a sculptural artefact rather than a freshly plated prop. Still, a photo taken under neutral or cooler lighting would have allowed for a more confident assessment of the surface and colour treatment.
Another key aspect is that the mask is intended to be wearable, not merely displayed. This places clear limits on weight and construction, again raising the question of resin versus PU-based material. The photo shows attachment points for holding straps on the sides, though the straps themselves are not visible from the rear. If the mask is made from a heavier material such as resin, adjustable and robust banding would be necessary to keep it securely positioned. A lighter, slightly flexible material would reduce strain and improve comfort when worn.
Long-term durability will largely depend on the chosen material. Flexible compounds generally age better than natural latex, though they can stiffen over time, while resin avoids material fatigue but remains more vulnerable to impact. Proper storage will be important in either case.
With the 007 First Light Collector’s Edition priced at €199.99, subtracting €79.99 for the base game places the effective value of the physical items — and the mask in particular — at €120. Viewed at that price point, the mask appears thoughtfully designed, though its final evaluation will hinge on material confirmation and how well wearability and long-term durability have been balanced.
Your turn
Collector’s piece or missed opportunity?
Have the real-world photos of the Legacy and Collector’s Edition replicas strengthened your excitement — or cooled it down?
Tell us in the comments.
