IO Interactive will no longer self-publish future James Bond titles. Amazon Game Studios has claimed publishing rights to all upcoming 007 sequels, marking a significant shift in how the franchise will be developed and distributed going forward.
The change stems from Amazon's acquisition of MGM in 2021, which eventually led to the company gaining full creative control of the Bond franchise in 2025. Jeff Gattis, general manager of gaming at Amazon, confirmed the new arrangement in an interview with Polygon. "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 said, explaining why IO Interactive retained publishing control for 007 First Light despite Amazon's ownership of the property.
007 First Light launched under the original agreement between IO Interactive and MGM and EON Productions, the longtime production company managing the Bond brand. Because that deal predated Amazon's acquisition, IO Interactive maintained the same self-publishing authority it had with Hitman 3. Amazon and MGM collaborated on the game to maintain brand integrity, but future installments will operate under different terms.
Going forward, sequels will be "done by MGM and, theoretically, by Amazon Game Studios," according to Gattis. While IO Interactive will likely continue developing the games, Amazon's role as publisher gives the company significantly more financial backing and creative influence over the final product. This mirrors Amazon's approach with other franchises, including the next two Tomb Raider titles currently in development.
Amazon has signaled that gaming will play a central role in its broader entertainment strategy. The company is leveraging its acquisition of major IP to create synergy between games, films, and television shows on Prime Video. "We think that's a real opportunity for us to create IP that extends or expands upon TV shows and movies," Gattis said, noting that a Tomb Raider TV show will release alongside the games and that other Prime Video properties are getting game adaptations.
A Bond sequel appears inevitable. 007 First Light sold 1.5 million copies within its first 24 hours, and IO Interactive teased future installments with a title card reading "James Bond will return" at the game's conclusion. The studio has previously expressed interest in developing a trilogy of Bond games.
Author Emily Chen: "Amazon's move here signals something larger about how tech giants plan to compete in gaming: by bundling it with movies and TV to create ecosystem lock-in, and that could reshape how blockbuster franchises get made for players."
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