James Bond has a long history with video games, so the announcement of Project 007 garnered plenty of interest. Between 1983 and 2012, the British spy has been more prolific in games than in films. However, much like the movies, not every game released under the James Bond license has been a critical success, with some titles polarizing critics and fans. In 2012, publisher Activision released 007 Legends to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the series, featuring a mission from each of the six eras of James Bond movies but ultimately receiving average reviews. Regardless of what went wrong with 007 Legends, it would be the last James Bond game for over a decade.
While the film franchise gained new momentum as Daniel Craig took on the role of the famous spy, Bond games flew under the radar until November 2020, when developer IO Interactive announced Project 007 - the working title for a new James Bond game. Very few details are known about this project, which leaves plenty of room for fans to speculate on what kind of game to expect.
What We Know About Project 007 So Far
The game is being developed by IO Interactive, most famous for its Hitman series that focuses heavily on stealth mechanics. It will be a completely original Bond story focused on the spy earning his "00" status. Bond's origin story is depicted in 2006's Casino Royale, Craig's debut in the role, and it has also been covered in several books. This will be the first time it is seen in a video game though, so it will be interesting to see how events unfold.
The game will feature a completely new James Bond, not based on the likeness of any previous actor. With the big-screen role of 007 currently vacant, this is a wise move. While the search for the next 007 takes place following Craig's 15-year run, IO Interactive freeing itself from the shackles of established actors and voice likenesses ensures it is not linked to any given era of Bond. With this comes a new sense of creative freedom, especially compared to previous titles that almost all base their Bonds on one of the movie iterations.
Having Bond based on one of the actors who portrayed him is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it ensures audiences are familiar with the face they see, and are able to identify the character with his big-screen counterpart. That being said, it also restricts the developer in terms of the direction it can take a character in. For example, a video game James Bond with Sean Connery's likeness couldn't be a martial arts expert, as this would be too removed from the barroom brawl fighting style displayed in every Connery 007 movie. For a unique iteration of Bond exclusive to a video game franchise, he could be a former Karate champion without taking away from the audience's engagement.
What Should be Expected From Project 007
Over the years, James Bond games have not followed one singular format, but the vast majority of them have either been first-person shooters or third-person action games. Despite not knowing which route the new game might take, third-person could well be the most likely option. IO Interactive's Hitman trilogy could influence Project 007 in a variety of different ways, with the stealth and espionage gameplay used in these titles seeming like a perfect match for the license. That's not to say Project 007 will just be Hitman 4 under a different guise, but without a doubt Bond could borrow a thing or two from Agent 47's arsenal.
A first-person game cannot be ruled out at this point though, and IO Interactive could flex some creative muscle by moving out of its perceived comfort zone. Previous Bond titles such as The World is Not Enough, 007: Agent Under Fire, and GoldenEye 007 are all excellent examples of how well the franchise can be captured in a first-person format. That's without mentioning that the N64's GoldenEye 007 is considered one of the greatest movie tie-ins of all time, and one of the most influential first-person shooters in the genre.
We've Been Expecting You, Mr Bond
There is no release window for Project 007, and not much more than a brief teaser trailer that revealed the working title. Given it was announced almost two years ago now, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to assume the project should be farther along, so more news will hopefully be on the horizon. Ten years have passed since 007 Legends, and the video game world is more than ready for the return of the world's most famous spy. If IO Interactive is able to tap into what made previous Bond games so successful, while implementing its own highly polished stealth mechanics displayed in games like Hitman 3, there's every chance that Project 007 will be a huge success.
Project 007 is currently in development.