Following the successful launch of 007 First Light, many fans have already begun looking beyond the game’s release and asking what comes next for IO Interactive‘s version of James Bond.
007 First Light has become the biggest launch in IO Interactive‘s history, earned strong reviews from critics and players, and introduced a fresh Bond origin story that many would like to see continue. Earlier this year, IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak also suggested that the studio would be happy to create more Bond adventures if fans wanted them.
That is why recent comments from Amazon Games have put Bond fans on alert.
In an interview with Polygon, Amazon Games General Manager Jeff Gattis discussed the company’s relationship with 007 First Light and the future of James Bond games. During the conversation, he reflected on Amazon‘s position following its acquisition of the Bond IP and suggested that future Bond games could theoretically come from Amazon Game Studios.
“We did not [make First Light]. We do have a stake in it because we now own the IP, but that IP acquisition happened after the First Light IO deal was already done.”
The debate largely centers on the following passage from Polygon‘s article:
“While IO Interactive self-published that game, the head of Amazon Games says that won’t be the case going forward. In an interview with Polygon, Jeff Gattis, GM of gaming at Amazon, says that while the tech giant ‘didn’t have the full rights to this First Light James Bond game,’ sequels will be ‘done by MGM and, theoretically, by Amazon Game Studios.'”
Is 007 First Light 2 in Danger?
Following the publication of Polygon‘s article, many fans feared that a future sequel to 007 First Light might be developed by Amazon Game Studios rather than the team that created Bond’s latest origin story.
One important detail, however, is that the word “sequels” appears in Polygon‘s summary of the conversation rather than in Jeff Gattis’ published quote itself. The term also doesn’t necessarily mean direct continuations of 007 First Light — it could simply refer to future Bond games that follow it.
That distinction becomes particularly interesting when considering the wider context of the interview.
Following his Bond comments, Gattis went on to discuss Amazon‘s broader strategy for entertainment properties and the growing connections between games, films and television.
“We do see this continued integration of video and movies and video games, where that line is becoming much more blurry. We think that’s a real opportunity for us to create IP that extends — or kind of expands upon — TV shows and movies.”
Gattis pointed to Tomb Raider as an example, referencing the upcoming Prime Video series and Amazon’s efforts to build connected franchises across different forms of media. The Lara Croft franchise is already becoming a showcase for that approach, with an Amazon-produced television adaptation starring Sophie Turner alongside two game projects being published under the company’s umbrella: Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a remake and reimagining of Lara Croft’s original adventure, and Tomb Raider: Catalyst, a completely new mainline entry in the series.
Notably, neither game is being developed by Amazon Game Studios. Instead, Amazon Games serves as publisher and franchise partner while development remains with external studios including Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog. The example suggests that Amazon’s long-term strategy is not simply to replace outside developers with internal teams, but to build larger entertainment ecosystems around its biggest franchises.
Viewed in that context, the Bond comments appear less like a statement about a specific 007 First Light sequel and more like a reflection of Amazon’s broader ambitions for the Bond franchise.
Rather than pointing to a direct takeover of IO Interactive‘s Bond story, Polygon‘s report suggests that Amazon is likely to play a much larger role in future Bond games than it did with 007 First Light. That could include new Bond projects from Amazon Game Studios while a future 007 First Light sequel remains in IO Interactive‘s hands, with Amazon Games serving as publisher.
Nothing in the interview suggests that IO Interactive would be excluded from future adventures featuring its version of James Bond. On the contrary, both Amazon and IO Interactive have consistently spoken positively about their collaboration, making a continued partnership seem far more plausible than an abrupt split.
Image credit: IO Interactieve & Amazon Games.
Source:
Polygon.com – Future James Bond games will come from Amazon Games, confirms boss
