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Update []: This story has caused enough confusion to warrant a statement from Amazon Game Studios.
Here's what the company told VGC:
"Amazon MGM holds the rights to any future James Bond video games but it’s still too early to discuss future projects. We have a great relationship with IO Interactive and are proud of what we’ve accomplished together on 007 First Light. Our partners at IO will reveal more about 007 First Light in the near future and we’re looking forward to sharing what’s next.”
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Funnily enough, this statement doesn't really get to the heart of what people are confused about.
As far as I understand, all that's changing is Amazon will publish future James Bond games; IO Interactive will remain the developer of those games.
I think, given the huge success of 007 First Light, any other arrangement would be absurd.
IO Interactive has declined to comment.
Original Story: It's fair to say 007 First Light has been a tremendous success; IO Interactive's James Bond origin adventure is one of the year's best-rated games, and its early sales have been very healthy indeed.
The timing of the game is interesting, though, as during its development, rights to the 007 IP changed hands to Amazon. It seems the company is keen to take over any future titles from a publishing perspective.
In an interview with Polygon, GM of gaming at Amazon Jeff Gattis explains how things are likely to play out now the company is in control of the James Bond universe.
He says that, while Amazon "didn't have the full rights to this First Light James Bond game", any sequels will be "done by MGM and, theoretically, by Amazon Game Studios."
It's not suggested that IO Interactive will be replaced as developer, just that publishing duties will move over to Amazon. IO self-published 007 First Light.
"We did not [make First Light]," Gattis says. We do have a stake in it because we now own the IP, but that IP acquisition happened after the First Light IO deal was already done."
The hope is that Amazon won't interfere with what IO Interactive wants to do next with its vision of James Bond.
First Light starts a whole new continuity for the character and it does so extremely well. I imagine the team at IO already knows how it wants to build on that storyline and where it wants to take players in future titles.
The developer will no doubt be having conversations with Amazon about their relationship going forward and plans for follow-up games, and it can enter those meetings with a lot of confidence, given how integral it is to the success of First Light.
Fingers crossed Amazon doesn't ruin anything, eh? Personally, I don't see how this will be a problem, as long as Amazon is smart enough to recognise what IO is building and leave it to do its thing.