‘007 First Light’ Is The Uncontroversial Hit Of 2026 With Huge 24 Hour Sales

InnovationGaming‘007 First Light’ Is The Uncontroversial Hit Of 2026 With Huge 24 Hour SalesByPaul Tassi,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. News and opinion about video games, television, movies and the internet.Follow AuthorMay 29, 2026, 10:44am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.007 First LightIOIMany of us grew up with Goldeneye 007 as one of the core games of our childhood, and perhaps we’re now seeing one for a new generation (and us old guys too). That would be 007 First Light, which was released this week, free of really any sort of controversy that plagues practically all new releases these days in an increasingly toxic gaming industry.No political left-right debates about its content. No moaning about its review scores and wide differences between critics and audiences. Almost everyone just…loves it, and sales have reflected that. Developer IOI has just revealed that the game sold 1.5 million copies in 24 hours. That’s just under sales megahit Crimson Desert’s 2 million in the same time period. Other big games don’t have 24-hour sales data, but instead titles like Pokopia and Resident Evil Requiem report millions after a few weeks or so.As for how it’s being received? 007 First Light has:An 87 Metacritic score from criticsAn identical 8.7 user score from players91% “Very Positive” reviews on Steam4.81/5 stars on PS5~4.5/5 stars on Xbox007 First Light is in effect a James Bond origin story, the young version of the character played by Patrick Gibson, whom many are now saying should be in the running for the currently sought-after real-life James Bond that will lead the next series of movies. He’s young, he’s charismatic, and he’s led this blockbuster game. Stranger things have happened.The game blends action, intrigue and seduction in traditional Bond fashion. Its hand-to-hand combat has been especially praised for its...