Hitman developer IO Interactive and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will release a “new console and PC game experience” as part of a new worldwide publishing and distribution agreement. The publisher previously handled these duties for Hitman 2 after IO Interactive split from Square Enix. However, for this title, the developer’s studios in Malmo, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark will be “integral” to development.
In a recent statement, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment president David Haddad said, “We’re very pleased to continue our relationship with the talented team at IO Interactive. IO Interactive has a longstanding legacy of creating iconic games, and we’re looking forward to partnering on this next endeavor to bring a new console and PC gaming experience to players globally.”
IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak stated, “Over the past few years, Warner Bros. has shown us first-hand that they understand and respect our creative vision, and we’re looking forward to continuing this relationship. IO Interactive has a proud history of creating compelling characters and universes for our players to enjoy—it’s in our DNA. As we embark on this exciting project to create a new universe for IO Interactive together with Warner Bros., we’re currently looking for ambitious talent to join our team in our Copenhagen and Malmo studios for this extraordinary journey.”
Could this be the project the developer teased in July as “something secret”? It was noted as something the Copenhagen team was working on, so it’s certainly possible. The fact that the Xbox One and PS4 weren’t explicitly named also teases the possibility of Xbox Scarlett and PS5 releases.
This doesn’t mean the future of Hitman is up in the air though. IO Interactive also talked looking ahead to the sequel, even if it wasn’t in development at the time.
Hitman 2 is currently available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. It received its second expansion with Haven Island last month, bringing a new sandbox, main missions, and challenges to complete. More content is on the way for the stealth title, so stay tuned.