IO Interactive Confirms New 'Hitman' Game Is in Development
The "Hitman" franchise will not be affected by the recent separation of developer IO Interactive from publisher Square Enix. CEO of the now-independent studio Hakan Abrak has confirmed that a new game is currently in the works.
In a recent blog post celebrating the release of "Hitman — Game of the Year Edition," Abrak said that the special issue of the 2016 stealth video game was a way for IO Interactive to show their gratitude to the fans and players.
The IO Interactive executive also touched upon the studio parting ways with Square Enix. The former had been a subsidiary of Square Enix since 2004, after their original publisher Eidos Interactive was acquired by Square Enix Europe. But in June, a management buyout resulted in IO Interactive regaining its status as an independent studio. They were also able to retain ownership of the "Hitman" franchise.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Given this development, Abrak explained that purchasing the "Hitman — GOTY Edition" would help support future projects of the company — including the next game in the "Hitman" franchise.
"Your support will directly help us to continue on our independent journey towards the next Hitman game and beyond. We're in this together and we promise that we will channel our passion and skills to shine through in everything that comes from this studio," he said.
The IO Interactive executive did not reveal specifics for the upcoming "Hitman" installment, but he did say that things are progressing well and that "new features and some franchise firsts" will be in store for the fans of the franchise.
The developer will not be announcing official details until sometime in 2018.
Meanwhile, the "Hitman — Game of the Year Edition" is available to purchase for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux. The definitive edition comes with the base game, all six locations from the first season — Paris, Sapienza, Marrakech, Bangkok, Colorado and Hokkaido — as well as the Patient Zero mission arc and three new Escalation mission packs.
