007 First Light Draws 'Woke' Backlash Over Female M, Dividing Gamers 31 Years After GoldenEye
Updated
Updated · GAMINGbible · May 27
007 First Light Draws 'Woke' Backlash Over Female M, Dividing Gamers 31 Years After GoldenEye
3 articles · Updated · GAMINGbible · May 27
IO Interactive's 007 First Light has been branded 'woke' by some players after revealing Priyanga Burford as M, reviving complaints that James Bond is being "bossed around by a woman."
The backlash spread through X posts and quote tweets, but many fans pushed back by noting Bond regularly defies M and arguing the character's gender changes nothing about the series.
1995's GoldenEye already introduced a female M in the films, with Judi Dench going on to play Bond's boss across 7 movies and later appearing again in the 2010 GoldenEye game update.
The dispute lands as First Light earns strong early praise after Bond's last major console outing in 2012's 007 Legends, suggesting the culture-war criticism is colliding with otherwise positive reception.
With critics hailing it as a masterpiece, can '007 First Light' overcome online outrage to redefine the franchise?
Decades after Judi Dench’s iconic M, why is a female boss for James Bond sparking a 'woke' backlash now?