Hitman: Blood Money Is Just $0.99—And It Shows Why 007 First Light Has Potential

IO Interactive’s 007 First Light won’t arrive until 2026, but if you want a glimpse of what the future of Bond gaming might look like, now’s the time to look back. Hitman: Blood Money, one of IOI’s most beloved games, is currently just $0.99 on Steam during the Summer Sale. With nearly 12,000 reviews and a 93% positive rating, it's more than nostalgia—it’s a working prototype of what IOI can do when given the keys to a spy franchise.

The reveal of 007 First Light showed something new: the youngest James Bond ever, in a cinematic origin story built from the ground up. IOI is building the game as a fully original take, not based on any actor, film, or timeline. This direction raised eyebrows, but given their track record, it makes sense. IO Interactive has spent more than two decades building systems of stealth, disguise, and precise execution. If there’s one studio that can rebuild Bond into a modern spy thriller with weight and polish, it's them.

And that’s where Blood Money comes in.

Back in 2006, Hitman: Blood Money was released on PC, Xbox, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 2. At the time, it was a technical leap forward for the series. It introduced new mechanics like body-hiding and refined AI behavior, but more importantly, it redefined how levels were structured. By the way, do you know which series is the Hitman voice actor's favorite? The series became more than just stealth—it became a sandbox of experimentation. You could push a target off a balcony, poison their drink, or rig an accident backstage at an opera. The freedom was the game, and it rewarded players for planning quietly, moving precisely, and staying invisible.

Blood Money was the moment when IOI's design language locked in. You can draw a direct line from its systems to the modern World of Assassination trilogy. While today’s entries are more modular and story-light, Blood Money came packed with a full narrative: a long-form espionage thriller about betrayal inside the International Contract Agency. That’s the kind of story structure 007 First Light is aiming for—serious, layered, and driven by secret organizations and operatives in the shadows.

Even now, nearly two decades later, Blood Money still holds up. The mechanics are older, sure. The controls are slower, the camera a bit stiffer. But the core of the experience is timeless. You enter a location. You learn its patterns. You blend in, adapt, and find your moment. In 2024 or 2006, that’s still one of the best formats for a spy game—and IO Interactive mastered it long ago.

In fact, Blood Money may be the best prelude to 007 First Light that new players could ask for. While IOI also developed games like Kane & Lynch, which leaned more into third-person action and crime storytelling, it's Hitman—and especially Blood Money—that taught them how to layer systems inside a cinematic framework. Instead of cutscenes dictating tension, players build it themselves through choice.

For longtime fans, this $0.99 sale is a bargain. But it’s more than just a cheap classic—it’s a reminder. With Bond 26 now in development under director Denis Villeneuve and 007 First Light promising a fully original James Bond gaming experience, all eyes are back on MI6. IO Interactive is taking their time, but they’re not starting from scratch. They’ve had a functioning stealth-spy blueprint for years.

In a genre full of scripted action and pre-determined outcomes, Hitman: Blood Money was about building tension without needing to raise your voice—or your gun. That same philosophy could easily translate to 007 First Light, especially if the studio carries over their love for open-ended mission structure. It’s not about shooting first—it’s about knowing when not to.

As Hitman moves forward with new mobile ports and as IOI begins reshaping Bond from the ground up, it’s easy to see how Blood Money lives on through all of it. If 007 First Light lands well, it’ll be because the studio already spent twenty years figuring out how to make spy work feel this cool.

And for less than a dollar, you can experience the blueprint that made it all possible.