Amazon and MGM to Publish Future James Bond Games
Amazon and MGM will assume publishing duties for any follow-ups to 007: First Light, leaving IO Interactive in a development-only role. In a conversation with Polygon, Jeff Gattis, general manager of gaming at Amazon, clarified that Amazon Game Studios will serve as the publisher on future James Bond titles.
“We did not [make First Light],” Gattis explained. “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.”
Gattis pointed to the agreement that granted IO Interactive self-publishing rights for 007: First Light, much like the arrangement the Danish studio had for Hitman 3. IO Interactive originally signed on to develop the Bond project when MGM and EON Productions still controlled the franchise, a partnership that had steered the brand for decades. That landscape shifted when Amazon purchased MGM in 2021, a full year after the game was first revealed, and the tech giant ultimately assumed complete creative control of Bond in 2024.
Amazon and MGM remained involved with 007: First Light throughout production to keep the game aligned with franchise standards, though Gattis suggested Amazon will wield greater influence from here on out. Future installments, he indicated, will be “done by MGM and, by Amazon Game Studios.”
Amazon Game Studios functions as a publishing label within the larger Amazon organization. The division is already handling publication of the next two Tomb Raider games, which points to IO Interactive likely continuing as the developer for subsequent Bond entries. Still, Amazon’s financial backing would give it stronger leverage over creative decisions. For more details on the game’s commercial performance, readers can check out IO Interactive’s 007: First Light Hits 1.5 Million Sales in One Day, Outpacing Every Hitman Launch.
Gattis also highlighted Amazon’s entertainment strategy, explaining that the company is pushing into gaming partly to build connections with its film and television slate. That cross-media approach will carry extra weight with the next James Bond movie on the horizon.
“We think that’s a real opportunity for us to create IP that extends or expands upon TV shows and movies. So there’ll be a Tomb Raider TV show on Prime Video that’ll go alongside the games. There’s a lot of things we have in the works on new games that’ll relate to Prime Video IP.”
A sequel appears highly probable given the commercial success of the first title. IO Interactive’s 007: First Light hit 1.5 million sales in one day, outpacing every Hitman launch in the studio’s history. IO Interactive also signaled its sequel ambitions at the conclusion of the game with a direct title card stating “James Bond will return.” The developer had previously voiced interest in crafting a full trilogy of 007 games. 007: First Light generated record sales alongside its reported $200 million budget.
For those planning their gaming schedule, you can find out when you can start playing 007: First Light to experience the franchise’s latest entry. Do you think Amazon’s increased control will lead to the best possible James Bond games, or does it risk stifling the creative freedom that made the first title a hit? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
