007 First Light has received its first major free DLC update, with developer and publisher IO Interactive releasing Extended Operations on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC yesterday (Oct. 1).Â
Update 1.3.0 adds New Game+, a new 00 difficulty, Photo Mode and additional TacSim content. It also introduces several gameplay and performance improvements alongside more than 700 fixes.
Extended Operations arrives just over four months after 007 First Light launched May 27. IO Interactive’s reimagined James Bond origin story sold 4 million copies during its first three months, with a Nintendo Switch 2 version also planned for later in 2026.
007 First Light New Game+ Adds 00 Difficulty
New Game+ is one of the biggest additions in Extended Operations and becomes available after completing the entire campaign on any difficulty. Players can then replay Bond’s story from the beginning or from previously completed checkpoints while retaining access to unlocked outfits and gadgets.
The new Mission Wardrobe lets Bond swap between unlocked outfits during a New Game+ playthrough, while Gadget on Demand provides considerably more flexibility with Q’s equipment. Gadgets can be swapped during missions rather than waiting for the next chapter, although equipment remains restricted by where each gadget would originally have been unlocked in the story.
Completing the campaign also unlocks the new 00 difficulty, which IO Interactive describes as the hardest way to play 007 First Light. Enemies detect bodies and other disturbances more quickly, tougher guard variants appear in some encounters and gadgets can’t be freely used while guards are watching. Combat is also significantly less forgiving, including two-hit kills, tighter parry and side-step timing and reduced Agency gained during fights.
The difficulty and New Game+ customization aren’t inseparable, however. Players can use their unlocked outfits and gadgets while replaying the campaign on Easy, Normal or Hard without enabling 00 difficulty.
Aston Martin Valhalla Joins New TacSim Missions
Extended Operations also significantly expands TacSim, 007 First Light’s collection of replayable challenges. The previously teased Valhalla Protocol is now available, putting Bond behind the wheel of the Aston Martin Valhalla in the Slovakian Mountains. The activity contains four missions split across day and night conditions, with players using the car’s machine guns and missile launchers to eliminate targets, earn time bonuses and chase higher scores.
Jungle Heist provides another new TacSim Operation and returns Bond to The Pearl, the luxury resort in Vietnam featured during the campaign. The mission sends players into a guarded villa to recover classified documents. IO Interactive has redesigned its interior for the challenge, while the entire property, including the rooftop, is now part of the playable area.
TacSim has also been expanded to support the campaign’s complete weapons arsenal. Two additional unlockable weapons are listed in Update 1.3.0: the Storm 12 Gauge shotgun and Squire Marksman Rifle.
Three new outfits â Observant Spy, Leisure Beam and First Class â can also be unlocked through TacSim progression.
007 First Light Finally Gets Photo Mode
Another frequently requested feature arriving with Extended Operations is Photo Mode. Players can freeze gameplay and reposition the camera to capture environments, characters and action sequences throughout Bond’s campaign.
Options include camera positioning and lens adjustments alongside brightness controls, post-processing filters and different frames. Bond can also be posed, while UI, backgrounds and logo elements can be adjusted to create cleaner screenshots.
IO Interactive has additionally improved weapon handling animations throughout the game, with reloads, aiming transitions, weapon swaps and throws designed to appear smoother and more responsive.
There’s one slightly less glamorous gameplay addition: enemies can now throw Bond from ledges. Previously, Bond was the only person capable of using the move.
Players can also find Jack the Bulldog near the TacSim area at MI6 headquarters. More importantly, he can be petted.
Update 1.3.0 Includes More Than 700 Fixes
Extended Operations isn’t limited to new content. IO Interactive says Update 1.3.0 contains more than 700 fixes and improvements based partly on player reports and support tickets.
These cover crashes, progression blockers, NPC behavior, clipping, UI, localization, cinematics, audio and individual campaign missions.
PC players using AMD hardware also gain an FSR Frame Generation option designed to improve performance in demanding scenes.
Xbox Series X receives a new Performance Mode targeting 60 frames per second. Players can switch between graphics modes depending on whether they prioritize performance or visual quality.
Other changes include improved input priority, camera tracking, movement animations and weapon interactions, alongside fixes for save problems, achievements and enemies behaving incorrectly during stealth encounters.
The Last Word
Extended Operations is more substantial than a typical post-launch patch, giving 007 First Light several features that directly expand its replayability. New Game+ and 00 difficulty provide reasons to revisit the campaign, while Valhalla Protocol and Jungle Heist add more score-driven TacSim challenges outside the main story. Photo Mode fills another noticeable gap from launch, and more than 700 fixes should improve the underlying experience at the same time.Â
With 007 First Light already passing 4 million sales and IO Interactive confirming that more content is in development, Extended Operations represents the densely-packed beginning of the studio’s post-launch plans for Bond.
Featured Image Credit
Image via Steam
