Amazon Gaming has clarified its position on the future of the 007 franchise following comments last month that sent fans into a quiet panic. Jeff Gattis, general manager of Amazon Gaming, previously suggested that sequels to Hitman studio IO Interactive's 007 First Light would be handled by MGM and Amazon Game Studios internally. Now he's dialing that back considerably.
What Gattis actually said the first time
007 First Light sold 1.5 million copies in its first 24 hours, making it the fastest-selling game in IO Interactive's history. That kind of launch should have made the follow-up conversation simple. Instead, Gattis muddied the waters by floating the idea that future Bond games would be "done by MGM and, theoretically, by Amazon Game Studios." For a game that succeeded largely because of IO Interactive's expertise with stealth mechanics and systemic design, the suggestion of pulling development in-house read as tone-deaf at best.
The gaming community noticed. IO Interactive built its reputation on the modern Hitman trilogy, a series that turned sandbox assassination into something genuinely artistic. Pulling 007 away from that team after one successful entry would have been a strange call.
The walkback, and what it actually means
Gattis has now clarified that nothing was confirmed. "We did not confirm anything about who's publishing or developing the next Bond sequel," he said. "We haven't even discussed it really yet. The game's awesome. That's great. I think it's realistic to think that there would be a sequel."
He went further: "Given the success of this one, I think you probably want IOI developing it."
That is a meaningful shift in tone from the earlier comments. Here's the thing though: Gattis also confirmed that Amazon does technically own the game rights. "Amazon does own the rights to the game, but we're going to do what's right by the game, we're not trying to bring everything into Amazon." So IO Interactive would develop, but Amazon would almost certainly publish any sequel.
The acquisition question nobody wanted asked
The conversation took one more uncomfortable turn when Gattis was asked directly about Amazon potentially buying IO Interactive outright. His answer: "anything's possible," though he stressed there are "no conversations about that right now."
That is not a denial. It is the kind of carefully non-committal answer that keeps options open without making promises.
IO Interactive has history here worth noting. The studio spent years as a subsidiary of Square Enix before buying itself back in 2017 and going independent. That buyout gave the team the freedom to finish the World of Assassination trilogy on their own terms and then land the 007 deal with Amazon. Given that experience, it seems unlikely IO Interactive leadership is eager to hand over the keys again, regardless of how much Amazon money is on the table.
The key here is that IO Interactive's independence has been a direct creative asset. The Hitman trilogy's episodic structure, its live service seasons, and the eventual World of Assassination mega-release all happened because the studio could make those calls without a corporate parent second-guessing every decision. An acquisition changes that equation significantly.
Where things actually stand
To summarize the current situation clearly:
- A 007 First Light sequel has not been officially announced
- IO Interactive remains the most likely developer if a sequel happens
- Amazon will publish any future Bond games in the series
- An IO Interactive acquisition by Amazon is not happening right now, but Gattis refused to rule it out permanently
For fans of the Hitman series and the broader IO Interactive catalog, the short-term picture looks fine. The studio is not being absorbed, and the people who built some of the best stealth games ever made are still the frontrunners to continue the Bond franchise. The longer-term question of ownership is murkier, and Amazon's willingness to leave that door open is worth watching.
You'll want to keep tabs on any official sequel announcement, as that will likely force a clearer conversation about development and publishing arrangements. For everything else IO Interactive has built, check out the Hitman guides collection or browse the full gaming guides hub for more.
