IO Interactive 'Can't Wait' to Return to Hitman Series

IO Interactive has assured fans that there will be more Hitman adventures, and the team is eager to return to the franchise.

IO Interactive's entire history is built on the back of Agent 47 and the Hitman franchise. The studio has explored other games like Freedom Fighters and Kane and Lynch, but Hitman has been a reliable staple for the Danish developer. By the end of this month, IO Interactive will have developed and released 13 games over 26 years, with 007 First Light being the latest. Hitman makes up more than half of the studio's released games. Many have wondered whether the studio's newfound focus on James Bond will lead to Hitman's end, but that's not the case.

IO Interactive has noted many times over the years that Hitman remains an important part of the studio's future, but it will be a while before a new game is released. In a new interview with The Game Business, IOI CEO Hakan Abrak revealed that he is excited to return to the franchise in the future.

Abrak noted that although it has been five years since the last Hitman game, it's not because they are neglecting it, but rather because they have been building two brand new games from the ground up. 007 First Light is very different from Hitman in many ways, requiring extra time to lay the foundation. IOI is also developing a fantasy game, which is "very, very far" along, and on the opposite end of the spectrum from IOI's normal skillset.

"We are looking forward to getting into the weeds on Hitman again," said Abrak. "There hasn't been air for that, for going in, building in systems from the ground up. But rest assured, we cannot wait to get into the engine room and upgrade, invent, and innovate Hitman for you guys again."

It's unclear what the future of Hitman may look like, but IOI is obviously extremely experienced in refining and expanding upon that formula. The added experience with 007 First Light may also allow IOI to get more ambitious and fine-tune some weaker areas of the Hitman experience, such as combat. Although combat isn't the focus of Hitman, it would be great to see it improved in a future game to make it a more viable strategy.