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Metro 2039TacSim
TacSim is 007 First Light's Tactical Simulation mode, run by Dr. Selina Tan at MI6. Its Escalations and Operations replay story locations with modifiers called Game Changers; challenges earn Intel and raise your Clearance Level, which unlock weapons and outfits. It needs an online connection.
TacSim, short for Tactical Simulation, is 007 First Light's side mode: simulations run at MI6 by Dr. Selina Tan (Gemma Chan), built on the campaign's locations, with modifiers and outfits the story does not have. It comes in two kinds, Escalations and Operations, and since Oct 1, 2026 also the Valhalla Protocol driving activity. Its challenges pay Intel, the mode's currency, and XP that raises your Clearance Level; a reward unlocks when you reach its Clearance Level and spend its Intel. TacSim needs an online connection, because challenges, scores and per-platform leaderboards are tracked online. As of Nov 4, 2026 its newest additions are the Jungle Heist Operation and the Valhalla Protocol from the free Extended Operations update.
Quick facts
| Run by | Dr. Selina Tan, Head of Tactical Simulation (Gemma Chan) |
| Kinds | Escalations (three tiers each), Operations, Valhalla Protocol activity |
| Currency | Intel |
| Progress | Clearance Level |
| Modifiers | Game Changers |
| Escalations unlock | After PowerPyx's Chapter 6, A Night Out (IOI's mission 02) |
| Operations unlock | After the story, per PowerPyx |
| Online | Required |
| Latest additions | Valhalla Protocol and Jungle Heist, Oct 1, 2026 |
How does TacSim work?
You enter TacSim at MI6, in Dr. Tan's area. Shacknews describes simulations built on the story's levels with modifiers and costumes the campaign lacks, and TheSixthAxis explains the loop: finish simulations and their challenges, earn points, and spend them on gear and gadget upgrades. Each mission has a list of challenges, such as "One Man Army", "Firestarter" or "Shotgun Specialist" (names from IOI's patch notes), and each pays Intel and XP.
Escalations come in three tiers, each harder than the last (1.1.0 notes). PowerPyx says the first is a one-minute tutorial.
Operations are longer objectives in a full location. PowerPyx says the first takes about three minutes; Jungle Heist is the newest.
Game Changers are TacSim's modifiers. Two named in IOI's notes are "Silent takedowns only", under which a close-combat finisher fails the Escalation, and "Bring your own bullets", under which Bond should not pick up ammo in the mission.
Activities are IOI's word for the Valhalla Protocol, a score attack in a weaponized Aston Martin Valhalla.
Since 1.3.0, the whole campaign arsenal can be used in TacSim, IOI says. Jack the Bulldog, added the same day, sits beside Dr. Tan's area and can be petted.
When does TacSim unlock?
PowerPyx says Escalations open after Chapter 6 in its numbering, A Night Out (IOI's mission 02), and Operations after the story. It also says TacSim challenges are reached with the Touchpad on PS5 and work online only. Boomstick Gaming's May 26, 2026 tips video says more TacSim levels "will open up as you go through the campaign", and IGN's May 27, 2026 guide that finishing the main story grants more TacSim content. No source read for this page gives the unlock point for the Valhalla Protocol or Jungle Heist beyond the 1.3.0 update itself.
Every named Escalation, Operation and activity
These are the TacSim missions named in IOI's patch notes and posts. IOI does not always say which kind each one is, and the table says so.
| Name | Kind | Added |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Training | Training (kind not stated) | By Oct 1, 2026 |
| Advanced Tactical Training | Training, tiered (kind not stated) | By Jul 24, 2026 |
| Advanced Close Combat Training | Training, tiered (kind not stated) | By Jul 24, 2026 |
| Arctic Skies | Not stated | By Oct 1, 2026 |
| Clean Infiltration | Not stated | By Jul 24, 2026 |
| Lords of Rust | Not stated | By Oct 1, 2026 |
| The Assault | Not stated | By Oct 1, 2026 |
| The Garden Party | Not stated | By Jul 24, 2026 |
| Extraction Three Ways | Not stated | By Oct 1, 2026 |
| The Workshop | Escalation, three tiers | Jul 24, 2026 (1.1.0) |
| Extraction Avenues | Escalation, three tiers | Jul 24, 2026 (1.1.0) |
| Jungle Heist | Operation | Oct 1, 2026 (1.3.0) |
| Valhalla Protocol (four missions) | Activity | Oct 1, 2026 (1.3.0), playable Oct 5 |
Sources: Free DLC Extended Operations is now live!, IO Interactive on Steam, Oct 1, 2026; IOI's 1.1.0 and 1.3.0 notes. "By" means the name appears in fixes to content already in the game on that date; IOI gives no earlier date for it.
The Workshop puts seven hostiles between Bond and the exit; Extraction Avenues asks you to read a security layout and escape before the response closes in. Both return to Kensington, the first stop on the Year One Roadmap.
TacSim rewards
Each reward needs its Clearance Level first, then its Intel. This is every reward IOI has priced in its notes, as of Nov 4, 2026.
| Reward | Type | Clearance Level | Intel | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stormberg 50'cal | Weapon | 10 | 3,000 | 1.1.0, Jul 24, 2026 |
| DRX-2 Machine Pistol | Weapon | 12 | 3,000 | 1.1.0, Jul 24, 2026 |
| DRS-7 Silenced SMG | Weapon | 16 | 3,000 | 1.1.0, Jul 24, 2026 |
| "Diamond in the Rough" | Outfit | 18 | 3,000 | 1.1.0, Jul 24, 2026 |
| Squire Marksman Rifle | Weapon | 18 | 4,000 | 1.3.0, Oct 1, 2026 |
| Storm 12 Gauge | Weapon | 20 | 6,000 | 1.3.0, Oct 1, 2026 |
| "Observant Spy" | Outfit | 19 | 0 | 1.3.0, Oct 1, 2026 |
| "Leasure Beam" (IOI's spelling) | Outfit | 15 | 0 | 1.3.0, Oct 1, 2026 |
| "First Class" | Outfit | 15 | 0 | 1.3.0, Oct 1, 2026 |
| "The Grey Standard" | Outfit | 15 | 6,000 | 1.3.2, Oct 29, 2026 |
| "Midnight Recon" | Outfit | To be announced | To be announced | 1.3.2, Oct 29, 2026 |
Sources: 1.1.0 Game Update, Jul 24, 2026; 1.3.0 Game Update, Oct 1, 2026; 1.3.2 Game Update, Oct 29, 2026.
IOI's Aug 11, 2026 Steam post wrote the Stormberg as "40' CAL", against "50'cal" in its patch notes; this page follows the notes. The launch rewards that predate these notes, and the gadget upgrades bought with Intel, are not listed with their prices in any source read for this page. Weapons and Outfits and Unlocks cover everything else.
Is TacSim online only?
Yes, for challenges and rewards. GamingBolt says TacSim updates and leaderboards need a connection and leaderboards are per platform, while the campaign plays offline after one online patch. COGconnected adds that cosmetics, challenge tracking and leaderboard places need a persistent connection, as in Hitman. Hotfix 1.3.1 fixed TacSim scores lost on a disconnect. The likeness to Hitman's Escalations is discussed on 007 First Light vs Hitman.
What did critics think of TacSim?
Game Rant says TacSim "could have been a throwaway mode" but is not, and TheSixthAxis lists "Replayable TacSim challenges" among the game's strengths. Mortismal Gaming, reviewing after 100% on May 29, 2026, before any Year One additions, was cooler: "maybe a couple extra hours of content here currently at most". More reception is on Reviews.
TacSim trophies
PowerPyx lists four: "What if...?" (complete an Operation), "A Change of pace" (complete an Escalation), "Keep moving forward" (Clearance Level 3) and "The readiness is all" (beat tier 3 of an Escalation). Its roadmap puts all four at about 30 minutes of online play: three Escalations to tier 3, one Operation and Clearance Level 3. See Trophies and Achievements.
Frequently asked questions
What is TacSim in 007 First Light? TacSim (Tactical Simulation) is 007 First Light's replayable side mode, run by Dr. Selina Tan at MI6. Its Escalations, Operations and driving activity replay story locations with challenges that earn Intel and Clearance Levels for weapons and outfits.
How do you unlock TacSim in 007 First Light? PowerPyx says Escalations open after A Night Out (its Chapter 6, IOI's mission 02) and Operations after you finish the story. An online connection is required.
What is the difference between Escalations and Operations in 007 First Light? Escalations are short three-tier challenges that grow harder each tier; Operations are longer objectives across a whole location, such as Jungle Heist at The Pearl.
How do you raise your Clearance Level in 007 First Light? Complete TacSim simulations and their challenges, which pay XP and Intel. Rewards need both a Clearance Level and an Intel price, from Level 10 for the Stormberg 50'cal to Level 20 for the Storm 12 Gauge.
Does 007 First Light TacSim need internet? Yes. TacSim challenges, rewards and leaderboards need an online connection; the campaign does not.
What are Game Changers in 007 First Light? Game Changers are TacSim's modifiers, such as "Silent takedowns only" and "Bring your own bullets", which change the rules of a simulation.
Sources
- 1.1.0 Game Update, IO Interactive, Jul 24, 2026
- 1.3.0 Game Update, IO Interactive, Oct 1, 2026
- 1.3.2 Game Update, IO Interactive, Oct 29, 2026
- 007 First Light - Free DLC Extended Operations is now live!, IO Interactive on Steam, Oct 1, 2026
- Unlock New Weapons in TacSim!, IO Interactive on Steam, Aug 11, 2026
- Valhalla Protocol missions playable now, IO Interactive, Oct 5, 2026
- 007 First Light Trophy Guide & Roadmap, PowerPyx, May 26, 2026
- 007 First Light review, Shacknews, May 26, 2026
- 007 First Light Review, TheSixthAxis, Jun 4, 2026
- 007 First Light Review, Game Rant, May 26, 2026
- 007 First Light Review, COGconnected, Jun 2, 2026
- 15 More Things to Know Before Launch, GamingBolt, May 26, 2026
- 007 First Light - 007 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting, IGN, May 27, 2026 (video)
- 007 First Light - Review After 100%, Mortismal Gaming, May 29, 2026 (video)
- 007 FIRST LIGHT - Every Tip I Wish I Knew From The Start!, Boomstick Gaming, May 26, 2026 (video)
Moments
007 First Light - 007 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting
IGN
007 First Light - Review After 100%
Mortismal Gaming
007 FIRST LIGHT - Every Tip I Wish I Knew From The Start!
Boomstick Gaming
Related
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007 First Light vs Hitman007 First Light plays like a more guided, cinematic Hitman: IO Interactive's Glacier engine, social stealth and several routes to each goal carry over, but the levels are more linear, the hero is a named Bond, and set pieces and chases replace Hitman's open sandboxes.
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IO InteractiveIO Interactive, the independent Copenhagen studio behind Hitman, made and self-published 007 First Light on its own Glacier engine, with Amazon MGM Studios as its Bond partner.
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James Bond Games in OrderThe major James Bond games run from GoldenEye 007 (1997) through the EA and Activision years to 007 Legends (2012), then a 14-year gap until IO Interactive's 007 First Light on May 27, 2026.
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Cast and CharactersPatrick Gibson plays a 26-year-old James Bond in 007 First Light, with Lennie James as his mentor John Greenway, Priyanga Burford as M, Alastair Mackenzie as Q, Kiera Lester as Moneypenny, Gemma Chan as Selina Tan and Lenny Kravitz as the Pirate King Bawma.
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John GreenwayJohn Greenway is James Bond's mentor in 007 First Light, a former 00 agent who runs the revived 00 program's training, played by Lennie James.
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M, Q and MoneypennyIn 007 First Light, Priyanga Burford plays M, the head of MI6 who recruits Bond, Alastair Mackenzie plays Q, who runs the Q-Lab and its gadgets, and Kiera Lester plays Eve Moneypenny, M's right hand.
See also
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Selina TanDr. Selina Tan is MI6's Head of Tactical Simulation in 007 First Light, the character who runs the TacSim training mode, played by Gemma Chan in her first video game role.
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Jungle HeistJungle Heist is a TacSim Operation in 007 First Light, added free on Oct 1, 2026. Bond returns to The Pearl resort in Vietnam to take classified documents from a guarded villa's safe, with the whole property open and nine challenges that reward Intel and XP.
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Year One Roadmap007 First Light's Year One roadmap, published by IO Interactive on Jun 5, 2026, promised TacSim returns to Kensington, Slovakia, Mauritania and Vietnam, regular TacSim updates and New Game+. As of Nov 4, 2026, everything but the Mauritania content has shipped; the Bawma mission and G2 Glasses have no date.
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WeaponsBond starts 007 First Light with a service pistol and can only fire once License to Kill is earned; more guns are picked up in missions or unlocked in TacSim with Intel and Clearance Level. IOI has named five TacSim unlocks, and Gamewatcher's playthrough lists 22 weapons in all.