007 First Light guide: Starter Pack, New Game+, 00 mode
007 First Light guide: the free Starter Pack, how to unlock New Game+ and 00 difficulty, and every TacSim unlock added by Extended Operations.
Checked against Update 1.3.2 on 7 Nov 2026. We re-test every guide after major updates; if something changed, tell us.
007 First Light just became much easier to try and much more replayable. IO Interactive released a free Starter Pack with the opening chapter on November 5, and its free Extended Operations update (version 1.3.0) added New Game+, a tougher 00 difficulty, Photo Mode and new TacSim content. This guide explains what each piece contains, how to unlock it and how to spend your Intel.
Everything here comes from IO Interactive's own Steam announcements: the Extended Operations release notes, the Free Starter Pack post, the 00 difficulty post and Game Update 1.3.2. Prices are Steam US prices as of November 7, 2026 and can change.
The free Starter Pack
007 First Light launched on May 26, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, with IO Interactive as developer and publisher. On Steam it carries a Metacritic score of 84. If you were waiting for a reason to try it, the new Free Starter Pack is the official answer: it appears on the Steam store page as a demo and is listed as 007 First Light Free Starter Pack.
According to IO Interactive, the pack lets you play the introduction as the young Naval air crewman James Bond, who must survive a military operation gone wrong. The studio's pitch is simple: stay hidden, discover intel and defy the odds in the first chapter. IO describes it as the official first step of the journey to "Earn the Number".
The announcement does not say how long the demo lasts or whether progress transfers to the full game, so do not assume either. If you already own the full game, there is nothing to gain from it. If you do not, it is a free way to judge the game's stealth-first approach and test how your PC copes against the minimum requirements below before you pay.
| Component | Minimum (Steam) |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-9500 or AMD Ryzen 5 3500 |
| Memory | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660, AMD RX 5700 or an equivalent |
| Storage | 80 GB, SSD required |
Editions and prices
The Steam page lists the Standard Edition at $69.99 and the Deluxe Edition at $79.99, with the Deluxe Edition on a week-long 40% discount at $47.99 when we checked. A separate Deluxe Edition Upgrade costs $19.99. The Deluxe content is cosmetic: four outfits (Day of the Dead, Desert Explorer, Silent Anchor and Gentleman Operator), the Agent's Mark weapon skin and the four-piece Gleaming Pack of gadget skins (Lighter, Earphones, Phone and Pen).
What Extended Operations added
Extended Operations arrived on October 1 with Update 1.3.0 as the first major free DLC. Besides the headline features below, IO says it brought over 700 fixes and improvements covering crashes, progression blockers, clipping, audio, localization and UI polish.
- New Game+. Replay the campaign with the experience of a seasoned agent. You must finish the entire campaign to unlock it.
- Mission Wardrobe. In New Game+ you can open your journal at any point, switch outfits and restart from the checkpoint of your choice to see the new look.
- Gadget on Demand. Swap gadgets at any time during a mission. Only gadgets already unlocked at that point in the story are available, so Q's inventions still arrive in the campaign's order.
- 00 difficulty. The hardest way to play, available only after the campaign is complete.
- Photo Mode. Camera settings, overlays, filters, visual effects and poses, one of the most requested additions.
- Combat polish. Improved weapon handling animations for reloads, aiming transitions, weapon swaps and throws. Bond can now be thrown off ledges like his opponents.
How to unlock and use New Game+
- Finish the campaignAny difficulty counts. IO's 00 difficulty post says to complete the campaign on any difficulty to unlock the new setting.
- Start a New Game+ fileReplay Bond's story from the beginning or from any completed checkpoint. Unlocked outfits and gadgets come with you.
- Choose your difficultyNew Game+ can be played on Easy, Normal, Hard or the brand new 00 difficulty.
- Pick your suitUse the journal to change outfits at any time and restart from a checkpoint so the cutscenes show your choice.
- Tune your gadgetsSwap tools on the spot, remembering only story-unlocked gadgets are usable.
Because outfits and gadgets carry over, New Game+ is the best moment to experiment. Run one chapter with a stealth loadout, then restart the checkpoint with a different gadget and compare how the same room plays out.
00 difficulty: what changes
IO calls 00 a considerably harder setting for players who want a true test of tradecraft. Combat, stealth and social encounters all get sharper:
| Area | 00 difficulty change |
|---|---|
| Awareness | Enemies react faster to bodies and disturbances |
| Enemy types | Certain guard archetypes are swapped for tougher variants |
| Gadgets | Gadget use is restricted within a guard's line of sight, and resources restore only a fraction of a gadget's usage |
| Combat | Two-hit kills, tighter parry and side-step timing, and reduced agency gained in a fight |
Tips for 00
These are our suggestions based on the changes above. Because guards notice bodies faster, relocate any takedown out of sight lines or accept that you will trigger an alert. Because gadgets are restricted in line of sight, use them from cover before you step out, not after you are spotted. Two-hit kills and tighter parry windows make direct fights a last resort, so save your agency for planned moments and treat a failed stealth approach as a reason to reload the checkpoint.
TacSim content, Intel and unlocks
Extended Operations also expanded TacSim, the simulation area where you chase leaderboards and spend Intel. New content includes two activities:
- Valhalla Protocol. Four missions in the Slovakian mountains, by day and night, driving a fully kitted and weaponized Aston Martin Valhalla with machine guns and missile launchers.
- Jungle Heist. A return to The Pearl Hotel in Vietnam to retrieve documents from the villa safe. IO says every attempt will be different.
New TacSim unlocks are tied to Clearance Level and Intel:
| Unlock | Type | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Storm 12 Gauge | Weapon | Clearance Level 20, 6,000 Intel |
| Squire Marksman Rifle | Weapon | Clearance Level 18, 4,000 Intel |
| Observant Spy | Outfit | Clearance Level 20, 0 Intel |
| Leisure Beam | Outfit | Clearance Level 18, 0 Intel |
| First Class | Outfit | Clearance Level 18, 0 Intel |
| The Grey Standard | Outfit | Clearance Level 15, 6,000 Intel |
The Grey Standard row comes from Game Update 1.3.2 on October 29. It was originally an IOI Account reward that did not match the outfit players expected. The old reward was renamed Heritage Tailoring and stays in the inventory of anyone who redeemed it. The same update adds a third outfit, Midnight Recon, whose unlock conditions IO says it will reveal later. The hotfix also fixes missing Intel and XP in Valhalla Protocol challenges and the Positively Shocking achievement.
The earlier hotfix, 1.3.1 on October 7, fixed a crash in Chapter 03, leaderboard disconnections and a stuck outfit unlock, and Jack the Bulldog now waits in the TacSim lobby after the studio's wishlist milestone. You can pet him.
Quick tips for returning agents
- Skip the account chase. The old IOI Account reward for The Grey Standard ended on November 1, but the outfit now unlocks in-game with Intel, so no account is needed.
- Farm Intel in TacSim. Weapons and outfits above need Clearance Level, which comes from TacSim play and challenges.
- Use checkpoints on purpose. New Game+ lets you restart from any completed checkpoint, so replay only the chapters you enjoy.
- Take photos. IO says Photo Mode shots may be featured in-game, and the studio says it enjoys seeing them.
Which route should you take?
If you have not played yet, grab the Starter Pack first, decide whether the stealth and gadget loop suits you, then buy the edition that fits your budget. If you finished the story months ago, Extended Operations is the reason to come back: begin New Game+ on Hard or 00 with your favourite suit, spend a session in TacSim for Clearance Level, and unlock the weapons and outfits listed above. If you only care about cosmetics, remember that the Deluxe Edition is purely visual, while TacSim rewards are earned in play.
For more on the game, visit our 007 First Light hub and the guides section. The full edition list lives on the Steam store page.
FAQ
Is the 007 First Light Starter Pack free?
Yes. IO Interactive released the Free Starter Pack on November 5, 2026. It contains the introduction chapter, where you play a young James Bond surviving a military operation gone wrong.
How do I unlock New Game+?
Complete the entire campaign. New Game+ then lets you replay from the beginning or from any completed checkpoint, carrying over unlocked outfits and gadgets.
What is 00 difficulty?
A harder setting unlocked after the campaign. Enemies react faster to bodies and disturbances, tougher guard variants appear, gadgets are restricted in line of sight, and combat has two-hit kills and tighter parry timing.
What is in Extended Operations?
New Game+, 00 difficulty, Photo Mode, the Valhalla Protocol and Jungle Heist in TacSim, new weapons and outfits, improved weapon animations, Jack the Bulldog and over 700 fixes.
How do I get The Grey Standard outfit?
Since Game Update 1.3.2 it unlocks for 6,000 Intel at Clearance Level 15 and no longer requires an IOI Account.
Has finished every FromSoftware game at level 1. Writes the boss guides and checks them on every patch.