Hakan Abrak, CEO of IO Interactive, is set to talk about the development of "007 First Light" during the Game Republic New Horizons 2026 event

At the upcoming Game Republic New Horizons event, Hakan Abrak, CEO of IO Interactive, is set to headline a session on 007 First Light. Abrak, who also assumes the role of the game's director, will delve into the development journey of this new James Bond title. The game has seen immense success, becoming IO Interactive's fastest seller with over four million copies sold within just three months. A release on Nintendo Switch 2 is anticipated by late 2026.

Abrak remarked, "I'm really excited to be attending Game Republic New Horizons and to speak about 007 First Light, which was a dream project for IO Interactive."

Jamie Sefton, the managing director of Game Republic, expressed his enthusiasm: "Being a massive James Bond fan, it's just a huge honor to welcome Hakan and IO Interactive to our conference. I can't wait to learn more about the brilliant 007 First Light's creation and how the talented team worked on bringing such an iconic character to life."

Participants at New Horizons will also include renowned industry figures such as keynote speaker Ken Kutaragi and Rebecca Lautner from Landfall. A panel titled "Hype-free Assessment of AI in Games" will feature experts like Tommy Thompson, Duyguy Cakmak, and Matthias Siemonsmeier.

The event will also host discussions in the Investor Zone, including a fireside chat with Tencent's Teddy Keefe and a session on securing angel investments with industry insiders Nick Button-Brown, Tracy McGarrigan, and Ian Masters.

Abrak recently talked to GamesIndustry.biz about the game's achievements, noting that, although full financial recoupment is in progress due to partnerships and royalties, the game has already surpassed their expectations and is on track to become a major success.

Currently, IO Interactive is engaged in talks with Amazon, the Bond license holder, concerning the franchise's trajectory, focusing primarily on First Light for the time being.

The Game Republic New Horizons event is scheduled to take place at Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough from October 14 to 16. GameIndustry.biz is a media partner of the event.