IO Interactive's next big project after 007 First Light is a fantasy RPG, not another Hitman or Bond

IO Interactive's next major project isn't a sequel to 007 First Light or another Hitman game — it's Project Fantasy, an online fantasy RPG the studio quietly announced back in 2023 and has been building ever since.

Eurogamer visited IO's Brighton studio recently and spotted Project Fantasy artwork on the walls, plus a creature being animated on a developer's screen. Chief development officer Véronique Lallier confirmed the team working on it is "bigger than the Hitman one at the moment but smaller than the 007 First Light one" — though she noted that headcount may shift now that First Light has launched. Creative direction falls to IO co-owner and chief creative officer Christian Elverdam, while CEO Hakan Abrak led 007 First Light. Lallier said the project started "post-Covid", which lines up with a 2021 rumour that IO was developing a new fantasy IP. The official Project Fantasy site shows the 2023 announcement alongside a single piece of art — an elf, a human, and a dwarf standing at a cave mouth looking out at a green, mountainous world, with the words "Looking for more!" scrawled at the bottom, a nod to multiplayer group-finder calls.

Lallier was keen to frame Project Fantasy as part of IO's DNA for original IP — Freedom Fighter, Mini Ninjas, and others were all new ideas, and she pointed out that 007 First Light is actually the only IO game built on an existing franchise. Lead sound designer Joshua Smith, speaking at the 2023 announcement, said the team is "trying to create something that I think doesn't exist in the space, currently — a world where we're going to allow you to be things you could never be." Meanwhile, IO plans to keep a meaningful 007 First Light team in place long-term, supporting the game with new gameplay experiences in the same way it has kept Hitman alive for years.

There's genuine excitement here for fantasy fans, but also a reason for caution — online multiplayer games have had a rough run lately. New World, Anthem, Concord, and Destiny 2 all ran into serious trouble. IO isn't saying much about Project Fantasy yet, with Lallier noting the studio's focus right now is squarely on First Light's launch. More details will presumably come once that dust settles.