“Hitman 3” caused a sensation at IO Interactive. CEO Hakan Abrak claimed that this year’s game was 300% more commercially successful than the previous “Hitman 2.”
In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz (above), Abram explained that “Hitman 3” is not only the highest rated game in the series, but also the most profitable, even though it is the first completely self-published game.
Considering that the first game did not live up to Square Enix’s lofty expectations, this was a welcome turning point that led to the publisher abandoning the franchise rights. In contrast, “Hitman 3” made money in a week. The developers faced “challenges” in adapting to the Covid 19 work environment. “If IO knows how to do it, this is a killer game,” Abram said. “It’s like saying, ‘I know Kung Fu, we know the killer.’
Hitman seemed to do so well that IO opened a third studio. The developers announced the opening of IO Barcelona this morning. Barcelona will work with the existing Copenhagen and Malmö studios to assist in the development of IO’s Project 007, as well as future “Killer” content and new unannounced intellectual property.
IO still has a lot of disgusting content in “Hitman 3,” but once it’s removed, the chrome dome assassin is going to take a break. Instead, the studio’s next project aims to provide the game with its own completely original James Bond adventure.
