Hitman Developer Announces New Game, Declares 007 as Sole External IP for Studio Collaboration

HITMAN: World of Assassination has just leveled up its intrigue by launching a special update that stars none other than music legend Eminem. This new limited-time Elusive Target mission allows players worldwide to hunt down the iconic Slim Shady, running now through December 31st. Best of all, it’s available for free as part of the Free Starter Pack, inviting everyone to try their hand at this unique mission.

A New Mission with a Familiar Face

Fans of HITMAN will be thrilled to see Eminem entering the World of Assassination as an Elusive Target, bringing fresh excitement to the game with this intriguing crossover. The developer, IO Interactive, has hinted in a recent interview that a new installment in the HITMAN series is on the horizon, despite the studio’s current focus on other projects like 007 First Light and an unnamed online fantasy RPG. CEO Hakan Abrak shared, “Of course there will be more HITMAN, but right now, I think we need to get to the other side of this year, and next year you’ll get more news about co-op, because I think co-op is a really, really good extension to the universe, and will introduce very interesting mechanics and combinations in World of Assassination. But we will, after that, be talking about the next HITMAN.”

It appears that the hiatus IO Interactive placed their beloved IP in two and a half years ago has officially come to an end.

Future Ventures and IO Interactive’s Focus

In the same interview, Abrak highlighted that 007 is truly the only external franchise IO Interactive plans to undertake, perfectly aligning with their expertise. He expressed, “We’ve created other original IPs from the ground up — Bond is actually the only external, licensed IP that we’re working on. And I would say that’s probably the only IP we will work on externally that is not ours. Somehow, it kind of made sense after 25 years of rehearsing for the agent fantasy and doing 007. That was a match made in heaven, you could say. But there’s no doubt HITMAN has been our flagship game, our long love for all the time IO Interactive has existed.”

007 First Light is slated for release on March 27, 2026, offering a more linear experience with influences from beloved titles like Naughty Dog’s Uncharted. HITMAN enthusiasts should keep an eye out for more details about the studio’s direction and upcoming projects.

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