This is a strange thing to write but does the design of the limited edition 007: First Light DualSense PS5 controller look off to you? As in, wrong? Not wrong in the sense that someone made a mistake, but wrong in the sense the design doesn’t capture one of the most iconic James Bond motifs there is: the swirly inside of the barrel of a gun [known as rifling – thanks, comments!].
The 007: First Light DualSense controller was unveiled yesterday, priced £75/€85/$85 and available to pre-order from 17th April. It’s golden in colour and features the game’s 007 logo in the middle. But the in-question part of the design are the straight lines that come from the outside of the pad towards the middle. What are these supposed to represent – the barrel of a gun? A sunrise? Both?
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In a post on the PlayStation blog, 007: First Light art director Rasmus Polsen said, “The golden finish pays tribute to the elegance, legacy, and timeless style of the franchise, while the barrel-inspired detailing reflects the themes of the game and how it feels to play it, as well as being a nod to one of pop culture’s most recognisable visual signatures.”
But which recognisable visual signature is Polsen referring to? The swirly, camera shutter-like viewpoint we see at the beginning of every James Bond film I can remember, where Bond walks into the sightline and then, quick as a flash, shoots back? This controller design is not that.
“Every element of the DualSense design was crafted as a celebration of Bond’s return, blending legacy and modernity to create a controller that feels unmistakably 007 from the moment you see it,” Polsen added. But is it “unmistakably” 007? If you take away the 007 logo, I wouldn’t even know this was a Bond-related design.
It’s strange to call this out because usually we wouldn’t be bothered by a controller design, but I’m not the only one left scratching their head about this. Reddit is suitably shaken, or stirred, by the design as well. “The idea of a 007-themed controller, with a design inspired by the inside of a barrel, not referencing the 007 intro stretches my credulity a bit too far lol,” said LordMegamad, who sounds like a Bond villain themselves. “My immediate thought was this was a Zelda controller despite it being a PS controller,” added asianwaste, making a good point. “Stop getting Bond wrong!” exclaimed SickSlashHappy.
Among the many posts, there are some good attempts at an explanation. The leading theory is the iconic James Bond barrel design is copyrighted and IO Interactive and Sony weren’t allowed to use it. The James Bond Gun Barrel logo does seem to be a copyrighted thing, owned by MGM, so perhaps there’s an element of truth here (I will try to find out). Maybe that’s why it’s only a “nod to one of pop culture’s most recognisable visual signatures”, as Polsen mentioned.
Or, as other people on Reddit suggested, it could be that a swirly design didn’t work, though I’m less convinced by this argument. The game is called 007: First Light, though, and this design does evoke a sunrise, so there is a connection there. Still, I find it hard to believe this was the studio’s first choice.
Is it a big deal? Not particularly. But if nothing else it highlights the double-edged nature of a taking on a famous licence such as this, and the standards of a fandom such as Bond’s, that you might reasonably describe as ‘exacting’.
Decades of detail and expectation must be navigated by IOI during the making of this game – one that focuses on a young Bond-in-training who we’ve never played as before. It’s also a departure for the studio, best known for its immersive stealth Hitman series, in that this requires more linear cinematic action. The pedigree is strong, though, and the signs so far are good. “007: First Light is so much more than Hitman,” wrote James Bond megafan Alex Donaldson in his 007: First Light preview.
007: First Light will be released on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S/X on 27th May, with a recently delayed Switch 2 version to arrive “later this summer”.