007 First Light Release Date — Launch Times, Preload & Platforms
Updated 2026-06-02
007 First Light, the newly unveiled James Bond origin story from IO Interactive, arrives on May 26, 2026. The game launches simultaneously on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5, with no last-gen ports confirmed at the time of writing. This guide covers the exact release schedule, preload windows, and platform-specific details so you can start your MI6 training programme the moment the servers go live.
Global release date and unlock times
007 First Light unlocks worldwide on May 26, 2026. Console versions follow a midnight local time rollout in each region, while the Steam release uses a simultaneous global unlock at 10:00 AM Pacific / 1:00 PM Eastern / 6:00 PM BST. Players in New Zealand and Australia on Xbox can switch regions to play up to 15 hours early, a common tactic for early access on the Microsoft ecosystem.
| Region | Console Unlock | Steam Unlock |
|---|---|---|
| North America (EST) | May 26, 12:00 AM | May 26, 1:00 PM |
| North America (PST) | May 26, 12:00 AM | May 26, 10:00 AM |
| UK / Europe (BST) | May 26, 12:00 AM | May 26, 6:00 PM |
| Japan (JST) | May 26, 12:00 AM | May 27, 2:00 AM |
| Australia (AEST) | May 26, 12:00 AM | May 27, 3:00 AM |
Preload availability
Preloading the 007 First Light release date build reduces day-one wait time significantly. The game installs at roughly 85 GB on all platforms, so a preload head start is valuable for players with slower connections. On Xbox Series X|S, preload went live on May 22—four days before the 007 First Light release date. PlayStation 5 preloading also started May 22. Steam users could preload starting May 24, two days ahead of the global unlock, giving PC players enough time to download before the simultaneous unlock at 10 AM Pacific.
Platforms confirmed
The 007 First Light release date covers PC via Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. IO Interactive has not announced a Nintendo Switch version or a native macOS build. The game is also available through Xbox Game Pass from day one, which we cover in a separate guide. Cross-save and cross-progression have not been confirmed, so choose your primary platform carefully if you plan to invest heavily in unlocks.
FAQ
- Can I play 007 First Light at midnight on May 26?
- Console players can play at midnight local time in their region. Steam users must wait until the global simultaneous unlock at 10:00 AM Pacific / 1:00 PM Eastern regardless of time zone.
- Is there early access for pre-ordering 007 First Light?
- IO Interactive has not announced early access for pre-orders. All players, including those on Xbox Game Pass, gain access on the same 007 First Light release date of May 26, 2026.
- What is the file size at the 007 First Light release date?
- The base install is approximately 85 GB across all platforms. A day-one patch of 5–8 GB is expected, bringing the total to around 90–93 GB.