007 First Light ditches Denuvo DRM just as first patch arrives packing a ton of bug fixes and some new content

Q: Why was Denuvo originally added to 007 First Light so close to launch?

Denuvo was announced only about a week before 007 First Light launched, which prompted considerable backlash and cynicism from gamers who had already pre-ordered. The article reports the late reveal and the negative reaction but does not state the developer's reason for adding Denuvo so close to launch.

Q: How was the removal of Denuvo from 007 First Light confirmed?

The removal was reported by TechPowerUp, with the revelation coming from SteamDB observing the DRM's removal in its tracked changes for games on Valve's platform.

Q: Could the game being cracked influence IO Interactive's decision to remove Denuvo?

Yes. The article notes that some commenters suggested IO Interactive may have dropped Denuvo because the game was reportedly cracked very soon after release, implying the crack could have influenced the decision.

Q: What new content is included in Patch 1.1.0 (missions, rewards, and outfits)?

Patch 1.1.0 adds two new TacSim missions. It also includes rewards such as a DRS-7 silenced submachinegun and the "Diamond in the Rough" outfit.

The inclusion of Denuvo being announced only just before the release of 007 First Light sparked a lot of controversy - but now the DRM has gone.

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Darren Allan

Tech Reporter

Published Jul 27, 2026 7:30 AM CDT

1 minute & 30 seconds read time

TL;DR: IO Interactive has removed Denuvo from 007 First Light, which may mean gamers who avoided the game due to the DRM might now make a purchase. Patch 1.1.0 has also arrived for the game, fixing over 200 issues including crashes, clipping, and achievement bugs. In terms of new content, there are two fresh TacSim missions and more besides.

Voice: DefaultSpeed

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007 First Light has witnessed the arrival of its first patch, and on top of that, Denuvo has been dropped from the game.

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If you recall the launch, the developer of 007 First Light waited until the game was just a week from release before revealing that Denuvo DRM would be included. That led to quite the backlash from gamers who had already pre-ordered, and viewed the developer's move with some cynicism.

The good news is that Denuvo has just been canned, as TechPowerUp reports, after 007 First Light has only been on sale for two months. The revelation came via SteamDB, which observed the removal of the DRM as part of its tracked changes for the games on Valve's platform.

As some of those commenting on the news note, the reason for dropping the DRM could be that the game was reportedly cracked very soon after release, anyway.

With the DRM now banished, we might see some more gamers picking up 007 First Light during Steam sales, but there's another positive development for those who've already bought the game, namely that the first update is here.

As spotted by Eurogamer, Patch 1.1.0 implements a bunch of stability improvements and fixes in general. Actually there are a lot of bug fixes here, and the developer observes that more than 200 issues have been resolved, from crashes to clipping nastiness and some "infamous achievement unlock bugs" apparently.

There's a dash of new content here, too, including two new TacSim missions alongside rewards such as a DRS-7 silenced submachinegun and the 'Diamond in the Rough' outfit.

There's some quite positive feedback from Steam reviewers, many of whom are impressed by the way 007 First Light captures the feel of James Bond, and how it feels like a proper Bond story - although there are complaints that the campaign is on the short side.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Question #1

Why was Denuvo originally added to 007 First Light so close to launch?

Question #2

How was the removal of Denuvo from 007 First Light confirmed?

Question #3

Could the game being cracked influence IO Interactive's decision to remove Denuvo?

Question #4

What new content is included in Patch 1.1.0 (missions, rewards, and outfits)?

Have a question not listed here? Ask below and TweakBot will answer it.

To be honest, I don't have a problem with a quality-over-quantity philosophy like that, and I'm tempted to pick up 007 First Light at some point in the future.