Every few years, James Bond disappears from the silver screen—though he is rarely gone for long.
However, in recent years, during these pauses between films, it is often video games that have kept the British superspy alive in popular culture. With varying degrees of success, these games have done more than just tie in with films; they have created a legacy, shaping the Bond mythos in ways a film never could—and keeping fans engaged while the future of the franchise is decided.
With the future of the franchise still undetermined after its acquisition by Amazon MGM Studios, video game developer IO Interactive hopes to keep the tradition alive with 007 First Light.
For England, James?
The first high-profile example came after the release and subsequent critical and commercial success of Goldeneye in 1995. There had been a six-year wait since the previous film, Licence to Kill, and it would be another few years before the follow-up, Tomorrow Never Dies, appeared in cinemas.
In that second gap, Goldeneye 007 for the Nintendo 64 burst onto the scene. Developed by Rare, the game’s impact was huge, and it became one of the most influential first-person shooters of all time. For many players of a certain age, this game represents the quintessential James Bond of the era and is remembered by some fans even more fondly than the movie on which it was based.
Goldeneye 007 set a precedent. Over the next two decades, Bond video games became a way to extend the life of the films and tell original stories. Titles like Agent Under Fire, Nightfire, and Everything or Nothing were released during Pierce Brosnan’s tenure as the superspy, harnessing the tone and world of the movies but introducing new plots, characters, and gadgets.
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By GlobalDataFor many, these games essentially became unfilmed Bond adventures. And nowhere is that truer than in 2004’s Everything or Nothing, which featured the voice acting and likenesses of Pierce Brosnan, Judi Dench, and John Cleese and included an original villain in the form of Willem Dafoe’s Nikolai Diavolo.
It felt like a full-fledged Bond story in game form, giving Pierce Brosnan one last hurrah amid a four-year delay in film production as fans waited for Daniel Craig to take up the mantle.
Sometimes the old James Bond ways are the best
The four-year gap between Quantum of Solace in 2008 and Skyfall in 2012 marked another notable lull in Bond’s cinematic presence. Activision stepped in with games like James Bond 007: Blood Stone, the first Bond game with an original story since Everything or Nothing. Like that game, it featured the likenesses of then-current Bond, Daniel Craig, and series mainstay Judi Dench. It may not have revolutionised the genre like Goldeneye 007, but it served its purpose: keeping Bond moving, shooting, and quipping until the next film arrived.
Now, as the world waits to learn who will take up the mantle after Daniel Craig’s departure in 2021’s No Time To Die—and amid an acquisition by Amazon MGM Studios—the upcoming Bond game from IO Interactive could not arrive at a better time.
The game, from the studio behind the Hitman series, promises an original origin story, untethered from the movies but with the lore and tone that fans expect. From the recent trailer released at Sony PlayStation’s State of Play event on June 4, 2025, it is clear that the studio holds the series’ history in high regard, with John Barry’s iconic theme from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service making an appearance.
Amid shifting cultural expectations, studio negotiations, and high-profile casting speculation, video games offer fans of the franchise something simpler: the ability to be Bond. Following the divisive ending of No Time To Die and amid seemingly never-ending radio silence from Amazon MGM Studios, the ability to don a virtual tuxedo will hopefully be enough for the time being. Until the next film appears in cinemas, James Bond will live on in video games.
