IO Interactive, the developer behind the rebooted Hitman games, has gone on a long and winding journey to get the series out to its fans. While there are many differences between the Hitman games, many have been happy with the series, especially with its latest entry Hitman 3.
However, many fans may not be aware that the original intent for the Hitman game in 2016 was to expand the story similar to an MMO-styled game - including the first Hitman game being referred to as Season 1 during development. However, due to poor sales, IO Interactive was not able to fully commit to out its vision for the game.
In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak goes into more detail saying that Hitman 2 and Hitman 3 content would have expanded within the original World of Assassination. Gamers would have been able to start playing in Paris in Hitman, and the story would go straight through to the last location in Hitman 3.
Luckily for the company, its vision for the series would be fully realized by the time Hitman 3Â was released. The company's ideals had to be pushed back due to Square Enix taking away funding to recuperate from the loss in terms of sales. In a last-ditch effort, IO Interactive performed a management buyout so it could remain independent and keep the rights to the Hitman series. The company was aware that it was taking a huge risk with this move considering it only had three months of cash flow before bankruptcy, according to Abrak, but it did not want to throw away the last 20 years of work.
The gamble proved to pay off in the end. By becoming independent, the company was able to earn all of the profits of Hitman, which helped it stay afloat comfortably. With the new influx of money, IO Interactive was able to complete the original overarching story of the World of Assassination trilogy, despite confusing numbered entries in the beginning.
Abrak closes out the interview saying the management buyout move was essential for taking full control of the company's destiny. When the company became a self-publisher, it reportedly became a more passionate experience for everyone working there. Everyone felt like they were contributing their hopes and dreams toward the final product. While it was scary at first to own up to the possibility of failure, it was more fulfilling for everyone to take responsibility in the long run.
Hitman 3Â is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
