The best case scenario has happened for developer IO Interactive. The studio successfully spun away from former publisher Square Enix and has managed to maintain the Hitman IP while doing so.
This news comes from a post on the IO Interactive website. CEO Hakan Abrak shared a very positive message with the fans of the studio about what’s next now that the studio is free to pursue whatever it wants.
“This is a watershed moment for IOI. As of today, we have complete control over the direction for our studio and the Hitman IP – we’re about to forge our own future and it’s incredibly exciting,” Abrak said. “We are now open to opportunities with future collaborators and partners to help strengthen us as a studio and ensure that we can produce the best games possible for our community.”
Abrak also took the time to thank just about everyone. This includes Square Enix, so the studio must have left on good terms.
“I would like to say a big and sincere thank you to all of our players, community, friends in the media and everyone else connected to the studio for the messages of support that we have received in the last few weeks,” Abrak continued. “I would also like to thank Square Enix; it has been a great family to be a part of and we are proud of what we have achieved together in the last eight years. IOI started as an independent studio and we will now return to those roots with an extremely passionate and talented team.”
While no immediate plans have been announced, it seems IO will definitely be keeping the Hitman franchise going. More detailed plans for the future are said to be coming next week.
The studio’s most recent game was last year’s Hitman , which took the series into an episodic-like structure. This allowed IO the ability to continuously update the game, providing unique in-game events and other extras along with the major level pack releases. Hitman was reviewed very favorably, sitting comfortably with a solid 84 on Metacritic.
So what do you think? Are you happy to see IO Interactive hold onto the rights for Hitman? What do you think the studio will work on next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
