Back in March 2022, Amazon acquired MGM Studios and, in the process, gained ownership of the James Bond franchise. Meanwhile, IO Interactive had secured the rights to the franchise back in 2020 to develop a video game that would become 007 First Light.
Thus, it is indeed the Danish studio behind Hitman that is self-publishing the project. However, the situation will be different for any sequels. This is what Jeff Gattis, general manager of games at Amazon, stated in an interview with Polygon.
He clarified that the sequels will be “done by MGM and, theoretically, by Amazon Game Studios”.
“We did not [make First Light]. 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.”
Of course, IO Interactive could still handle development while Amazon handles publishing. The American giant would then have the power to influence the project’s direction by more or less imposing its vision as publisher and rights holder.
