IO Interactive’s Project 007 will tell an original story that won’t feature any of the previously established iterations of James Bond. From an interview with studio head Hakan Abrak from Danish publication DR, we now know that the Hitman developer’s video game take on the long-running spy franchise could be the first entry in a trilogy of games. Placing a bit of trust in Google Translate: “We have been allowed to make our own digital Bond, which will not lean on a Bond actor. We also came up with a completely original story, and you could easily imagine that a trilogy could come out of it.”
IO had been working on a pitch for a 007 game for nearly two years before showing producer Barbara Broccoli its ideas last year. Apparently, Broccoli seemed dismissive of the idea at first but later warmed up to the idea after hearing what the developer had in mind, and younger members of the family were pleased with her change of heart.
To aid with the Project 007 undertaking, IO plans to double its employee numbers from 200 to 400 total members.
We first heard about Project 007 in November 2020 when IO revealed its foray into the James Bond universe as its next game, following Hitman 3. Hitman 3, which comes as the conclusion to IO’s World of Assassination Trilogy, launched Jan. 20.
