adminFuture James Bond games from IO Interactive will be published by MGM and Amazon Game Studios, rather than self-published by the developer. The arrangement follows Amazon’s acquisition of MGM, the owner of the James Bond intellectual property, for $8.45 billion in 2022. For players, the key distinction is that the announcement concerns publishing; it does not state that IO Interactive will stop developing Bond games.
Image credit: IO Interactive
What the James Bond games publishing change means
IO Interactive developed and self-published 007: First Light. The game launched on May 27 and sold more than 1.5 million copies in its first 24 hours. Its original agreement with IO Interactive was already in place before Amazon acquired MGM, according to Amazon Game Studios general manager Jeff Gattis.
Gattis explained that Amazon’s involvement in future Bond titles comes from owning the franchise’s intellectual property through MGM. He also clarified that Amazon did not make First Light: the acquisition took place after IO Interactive’s deal for that game had been completed.
For players: the publisher change applies to future titles, while the information provided does not announce changes to First Light. Keep an eye on official announcements for details about upcoming games, release plans, and platforms.
Amazon’s wider plans for games and entertainment
Amazon sees a potential connection between its video games, films, and television projects. Gattis described well-known properties such as Bond as opportunities to build stories across different formats. He pointed to a Tomb Raider television series planned for Prime Video alongside the games, and said Amazon is working on new games related to Prime Video intellectual property.
This approach is often described as a transmedia strategy: a familiar world or story can appear in more than one kind of entertainment. For audiences, that may create additional ways to engage with a franchise, though each game or show can still have its own story and format.
Recent challenges for Amazon Game Studios
The publishing news comes as Amazon’s gaming division has faced several setbacks. A Lord of the Rings MMO was reportedly cancelled in May. Gattis did not confirm or deny that report, but said Amazon was developing a “new game experience” set in the LOTR universe.
Amazon also shut down Glowmade’s online multiplayer game King of Meat, saying it had not found the audience the company hoped for. In January, Amazon announced the cancellation of its MMO New World: Aeternum, with servers scheduled to go offline on January 31, 2027. Development had paused in October 2025 as part of wider reductions to Amazon’s infrastructure that affected 14,000 jobs.
What to watch for next
The main confirmed change is who will publish future IO Interactive James Bond titles: MGM and Amazon Game Studios. The available details do not provide release dates or further information about the next games. Until more is announced, players can distinguish the existing 007: First Light deal from the publishing plans for future James Bond games.
