IO Interactive just revealed an in-depth walkthrough of 007 First Light, dropping more than half an hour of preview footage. It was a combination of a raw mission session followed by a gameplay breakdown, accompanied by commentary. The entire length and breadth of the game’s core mechanics were unveiled by the team.
During the walkthrough, my eagle eyes spotted something in the background. In one sequence, there’s a row of classic arcade games across the other side of a room, and one is none other than Freedom Fighters, the 2003 third-person shooter from IO Interactive and one of my favorite PlayStation 2 games.
Will Freedom Fighters Be Playable Though?
If Freedom Fighters were to be playable as a game within a game, I think I’d lose my mind. I adored the shooter when it dropped more than 20 years ago, and it went on to influence games like Homefront.
Here’s a screencap from the trailer:
The 007 First Light preview was one that I’d seen previously at Gamescom, but this was the first time it had been made public. It also offered up the release date for 007 First Light, which is set to drop on March 27, 2026.
I’ve penned a full preview breakdown of the walkthrough I received at Gamescom, but little did I know, IO Interactive would show the exact same preview to the world today! I didn’t see the Freedom Fighter cameo earlier, though.
007 First Light will drop next year, and fans of Hitman will be pleased with what’s on offer. It will also give 007 fans a look at a refreshing origin story for the legendary character.
Are you looking forward to 007 First Light? Let me know on the Insider Gaming forum.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Sophie Turner is the new Lara Croft
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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