007 First Light sells 1.5M copies in 24 hours with 87 Metacritic

IO Interactive just proved it's more than the Hitman studio. 007 First Light sold 1.5 million copies within its first 24 hours of release, making it the biggest commercial launch in the developer's history outside of Agent 47.

The milestone event took place the day after the game was fully launched and two days after early access was made available to deluxe edition purchasers.

First Light has ratings of 87 on Metacritic and 88 on OpenCritic, putting it at the top in terms of being the best game of 2026. The ratings by both critics and gamers are equal: it has a "Very Positive" score on Steam from 6,500 user reviews and a 4.8/5 from PlayStation users in 5,800 reviews.

Wccftech's own Alessio Palumbo awarded it 8.5/10, calling it "one of the greatest James Bond games ever made" and praising an "Oscar-worthy narrative".

IO Interactive’s last non-Hitman game was Kane & Lynch 2 back in 2010. For 15 years, this studio’s brand identity was indistinguishable from Agent 47. However, 007 First Light puts an end to this trend.

It turned out that the design approach of IO, where there is a combination of linear and open-world levels along with precise mechanics and cinema-style story, fits perfectly well with the Bond universe. Fitting and execution are two distinct things, though. Selling 1.5 million copies within 24 hours is execution.

The game is already kind of sitting as a legitimate game-of-the-year candidate heading into the second half of 2026. Grand Theft Auto VI shows up in November, and it will pretty much dominate the cultural conversation.

But sure, the GOTY field is also packed: Forza Horizon 6, Resident Evil Requiem, and Mina the Hollower are currently the highest-rated games of 2026 on Metacritic, and they still stay in the discussion. First Light has honestly earned its place there, at that same table