007 First Light Extended Operations: What’s New
IO Interactive released the first major free DLC pack for James Bond 007: First Light, dubbed Extended Operations. Released on October 1, 2026, the patch brings a handful of features that impact the way the campaign can be replayed, a new high-difficulty level, new TacOps content, Photo Mode and more.
But it really is more than what you’d expect from a simple content drop. Over 700 issues were addressed, ranging from stability and progression to animations, AI, visuals, audio, UI and mission specifics problems reported since release, in version 1.3.0.
For players who have done Bond’s origin story, the big new things are New Game+, 00 difficulty, the new Valhalla Protocol and Jungle Heist TacSim content, and the ability to replay missions with more customization.
007 First Light: Extended Operations Release Date
Extended Operations became available on October 1, 2026, alongside Update 1.3.0, at no extra cost.
IO Interactive rolled out the update at 12:00 UTC (14:00 CEST). How much storage you’ll need depends on your platform.
The content isn’t a paid expansion. IO Interactive offers Extended Operations as a free DLC to anyone who owns 007 First Light.
New Game+ Alters Replayability of the Campaign
It is so you have unfinished business with your story, and replaying old missions can get really boring.
You need to beat the game to unlock the entire campaign. When you unlock it, New Game+ allows you to play the story from the beginning, or pick up from completed checkpoints with access to your previously unlocked outfits and gadgets.
Mission Wardrobe
Bond has significantly greater freedom with his dress options when he replays in the new Mission Wardrobe mode.
Rather than being confined to the outfit corresponding to a certain section of the campaign, you can make use of all the costumes you have earned in New Game+. The journal can be also used to change costumes in play and pick up from a chosen checkpoint in the replay.
This is largely a customization feature rather than a new gameplay mechanic, but it makes for a different an experience for missions that you end up replaying.
Gadget Flexibility
And New Game+ offers enhanced gadget flexibility.
Now you can swap gadgets in the middle of the mission instead of the next chapter. There is still a progression lock though: the gadgets you are able to use are the ones you have unlock for Bond up to that point . But that doesn’t make you any less eligible for some crazy gadgetry for your replays.
00 Difficulty is the New Endgame Challenge
Defeating the campaign also unlocks 00 difficulty, which makes combat, stealth, and social gameplay far less forgiving.
IO Interactive hasn’t just beefed up the health of enemies. The difficulty also changes the way encounters work.
It ended up being a difficulty where preparation and positioning mattered more, rather than just making the enemies into damage sponges.
There’s also some flexibility for the important bit of Once New Game+ and 00 difficulty are unlocked, players don’t have to use the toughest setting every single time they play. Custom outfits and gadgets can be brought across to replays on Easy, Normal, Hard or 00.
That makes New Game+ a useful tool for two different sorts of players: those who want a greater challenge, and those who just want to get a little more freedom when replaying the story.
Valhalla Protocol Adds Four New TacSim Missions
The Valhalla Protocol is part of the biggest chunk of new playable content added to Extended Operations.
It transports Bond to the mountains of Slovakia and tasks him with completing four Tactical Simulation missions centered around the Aston Martin Valhalla.
The missions feature both day and night scenarios, with various challenges involving the vehicle’s handling.
The Valhalla also carries weapons that are deployed during the main campaign. Players can fire the weapons at targets while trying to complete objectives and earn time bonuses.
This is not just another driving section added to the campaign. The Valhalla Protocol is designed as TacSim content, which focuses on replayable challenges and improving results, not adding to Bond’s main narrative.
For players who like to try to improve their performance, the time-bonus system provides a reason to replay these missions once they have been completed the first time.
Jungle Heist Now Available on The Pearl in Vietnam
The other big TacSim addition is Jungle Heist, which takes Bond back to The Pearl, the Vietnam outpost.
It’s a simple return: infiltrate a secure villa, grab top secret plans.
The cool bit is that you get more room to play. IO Interactive reveals that the entire property is accessible now, including the rooftop, and the use of the villa’s interior has been modified to allow a better flow.
And that makes Jungle Heist more than just a reuse of the previously established location. The terrain has been modified for the new TacSim mission.
Also, the mission takes advantage of another change brought in with Extended Operations: TacSim can use the entire weapon from the main campaign.
The weapons provide players with more choices to play with when tackling Tactical Simulation content. They are not available to all players by default, but instead require TacSim clearance.
Bond Can Be Thrown Offrails Now
And there is a little gameplay tweak that actually matters a bit: now Bond can be thrown off ledges.
But the ledge-throw was also an interaction that Bond could have used against his foes. The new 1.3.0 patch makes the functionality available to Bond, as well.
It adds another source of eco during fights, and it changes how players approach round engagements. Players who are accustomed to playing around ledges will find themselves needing to exercise more caution, especially against foes at close range.
Weapon handling has been refined
Extended Operations also alters the feel of combat with enhanced weapon handling animation fidelity.
IO Hostile has said that reloading, aiming transitions, weapon swaps, and throws have all been tweaked.
It’s not a completely new weapon system, but it does influence the second-to-second experience of fighting. They just want to try to make Bond’s movement and the way his weapons behave look a bit smoother and more responsive.
It’s to the effort in a greater overall animation and presentation pass in Update 1.3.0.
A Patch With More Than 700 Fixes and Improvements
What sets Extended Operations apart from a routine content update is the sheer size of its accompanying patch.
According to IO Interactive, Update 1.3.0 delivers more than 700 fixes and improvements, drawing in part on player reports, support requests and feedback gathered since the game launched.
The updates span several parts of the game.
Stability and Crashes
The patch resolves crashes tied to rendering, animations, game states and other scenarios. It also fixes a pipeline-cache problem that could cause crashes on startup, along with a number of stability issues affecting specific platforms.
Saves and Progression
IO Interactive has also corrected several issues related to saved games, checkpoints and mission progress.
In some cases, reloading a save, returning to the main menu or choosing Retry could block opportunities, leave doors or NPCs in the wrong state, reset gadgets or trap Bond in parts of a level.
These problems could disrupt a mission, making the fixes more consequential than purely cosmetic changes.
Controls and Camera
Update 1.3.0 fine-tunes input response, camera behavior and Bond’s movement animations. Changes include adjustments to camera auto-tracking, head tracking and movement with partial stick input. The patch also prevents unintended inputs from triggering actions in certain situations.
Visuals, Audio and UI
Other fixes address character clipping, level geometry, lighting, shadows, visual effects and animations. The update also includes corrections to dialogue, sound effects, localization and interface elements. Because it covers both individual missions and game-wide systems, the patch tackles a broad range of issues.
Extra Rewards and Small Additions
There are also a few smaller bonuses to Extended Operations that can be overlooked if all you’re thinking about are New Game+ and the new missions.
Jack the Bulldog
Jack the Bulldog: A new resident of MI6 HQ.
Players can interact with Jack and, yes, pet him. He’s been placed by IO Interactive near Dr. Selina Tan’s TacSim pod.
It does not introduce a new mission system, but it does add a further interactive element to the MI6 hub.
Grey Standard Outfit
Those who link 007 First Light to an IOI Account prior to November 1, 2026, will also gain access to the Grey Standard outfit.
This is a time-limited account reward, so players wanting the outfit should note the deadline instead of thinking it will stay up for all eternity.
One More Twitch Drop
The update also features a Twitch Drop entitled One More, with the campaign running from October 1 through October 16, 2026.
Since Twitch Drop requirements and availability may vary based on account linked and campaign rules a player is advised to check the event instructions for the current event, and not have the expectation that they’ll be able to unlock the item by simply watching other streams. Current Platforms and Switch 2 Status
The core editions of 007 First Light are playable on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
With Nintendo Switch 2 edition is a different matter.
How Extended Operations Affects Your Playthrough
Whether this update is worthwhile depends on how far you’ve gotten in 007 First Light.
Still working through the story?
Finish the campaign before starting New Game+, since you’ll need to complete it to unlock the mode. It’s also a good idea to install the update first: more than 700 fixes could make the rest of your playthrough smoother.
Already completed the campaign?
New Game+ offers the clearest reason to come back. Replay missions with your unlocked outfits and more freedom to choose gadgets, or step up the difficulty with the tougher 00 setting.
Looking for fresh challenges?
Valhalla Protocol and Jungle Heist are the main additions to check out. Valhalla Protocol features vehicle-focused TacSim scenarios, while Jungle Heist adds a stealth-driven objective in the Vietnam setting.
Mostly interested in taking screenshots?
Photo Mode gives you more options for setting up each shot, including camera placement, character poses and the overall look of the image.
Did technical issues make you stop playing?
The update’s 700-plus fixes may matter just as much as its new content. Changes to stability, saves, progression and specific missions address issues that could get in the way of playing.
FAQ
Is 007 First Light Extended Operations free?
Yes. Extended Operations is a free DLC included as part of the Update 1.3.0 release.
Do I have to complete 007 First Light before I can use New Game+?
Yes. You Need To Play The Entire Campaign To Access New Game+.
What is 00 difficulty?
00 is a new, tougher difficulty level which is unlocked after finishing the campaign. It also increases enemy awareness and combat pressure, limits when and where you can use gadgets, and makes defensive timing less forgiving.
Does Extended Operations introduce a new chapter in the story?
No new single-campaign chapter has been revealed in the Extended Operations. The new playable scenarios come as part of TacSim, and New Game+ alters how you play.
How many missions in Valhalla Protocol?
There are four Op’s in the mountains of Slovakia, including both day and night Missions: the Valhalla Protocol.
What is Jungle Heist?
Jungle Heist is the new TacSim mission at The Pearl in Vietnam. Bond is sent to a guarded villa to secure the documents, while you find the house and rooftop in the playable space.
How large is Update 1.3.0? The download size is about 8 GB to 14 GB depending on the platform, with Steam stating 14 GB and PlayStation 5 11.9 GB.