Although there has been no official announcement yet, IO Interactive has hinted that they are planning something with Agent 47. The Danish team is currently working on something else.
Hitman: World of Assassination recently received a new update featuring rap icon, Grammy- and Oscar-winning Eminem, in the latest time-limited Elusive Target mission. This mission is available until December 31, and we have reported on it in more detail. The mission is also accessible for free as part of the Free Starter Pack, allowing players to try taking out Slim Shady once and for all.
In an interview with Variety magazine, Hitman developer and IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak essentially confirmed that a new game in the franchise will eventually arrive, despite the studio’s current focus on developing 007 First Light and an as-yet-untitled online fantasy RPG. It appears that IO Interactive’s two-and-a-half-year break from the Hitman series has officially come to an end. Abrak added that 007 is the only external franchise they would ever work on because it aligns with their area of expertise.
“Of course, there will be more Hitman. But right now, I think we need to get through this year. Next year, you’ll hear more about co-op because I think it’s a really good addition to the universe. It will introduce interesting mechanics and combinations to World of Assassination. After that, we will talk about the next Hitman. We’ve created other original IPs from the ground up. Bond is actually the only external, licensed IP we’re working on. I would say that’s probably the only external IP we’ll work on that isn’t ours. After 25 years of rehearsing the agent fantasy and doing 007, it kind of made sense. You could say it was a perfect match. But there’s no doubt that Hitman has been our flagship title and our passion for as long as IO Interactive has existed,” Abrak said.
007: First Light is scheduled for release on March 27. However, Hitman fans should be aware that the studio’s next game will be more linear and will clearly draw inspiration from Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series.
