Amazon Secures Bond Gaming Rights
Amazon and MGM to Publish Future James Bond Games, Shifting Control from IO Interactive
IO Interactive’s 007: First Light was a breakout success, but Amazon Game Studios and MGM will publish any future James Bond games rather than IO self-publishing. Amazon gaming GM Jeff Gattis said the company’s stake in First Light came only after Amazon’s acquisition of MGM, meaning Amazon did not develop the game, and the original IO deal was already in place. Going forward, Gattis indicated future entries will be “done by MGM” and handled through Amazon Game Studios, signaling more publishing and financial oversight by the new IP owner. While IO is expected to remain involved as the primary creative developer, Amazon’s increased role could translate into greater influence over how the franchise evolves. Amazon also framed the shift as part of a broader cross-media strategy, aiming to connect games with Prime Video and other film and TV projects tied to its own IP. Overall, the franchise’s next chapter shifts from an IO-run publishing model to an Amazon-and-MGM managed structure.
Key Points
Polygon reported that 007: First Light has “registered the highest review scores for a James Bond game since GoldenEye,” establishing the critical momentum behind Amazon/MGM’s decision to control future publishing.
Amazon gaming GM Jeff Gattis said Amazon did not develop 007: First Light, explaining that IO’s ability to self-publish came from the Bond deal being struck when the franchise was under MGM/EON—“either in 2020 when the game was first teased, or earlier”—before Amazon acquired MGM in 2021.
Beyond the general “cross-media” framing, Amazon explicitly tied its Bond publishing shift to Prime Video shows, with Gattis pointing to a specific example: “There’ll be a Tomb Raider TV show on Prime Video that’ll go alongside the games.”
IGN also reported that Gattis described future sequels as being handled by “MGM and, theoretically, by Amazon Game Studios,” while emphasizing the structural reason IO is likely to keep developing—Amazon Game Studios is Amazon’s publishing arm and backs projects like the next Tomb Raider titles.
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