Who might have predicted that such a methodical sport a couple of lethal barcoded murderer with seemingly limitless style decisions would spark some of the recognizable franchises in gaming historical past?
Looking again over the previous 25 years, the staff at IO Interactive has each purpose to really feel proud. While many franchises that debuted in 2000, together with Perfect Dark, SSX, Deus Ex, Jet Set Radio, and others, merely light or stalled, Hitman not solely survived however developed into certainly one of gaming’s most enduring and adaptable worlds.
Sitting on top of the world
“Sort of on top of the world,” said senior game designer Eskil Mohl when asked to describe the studio’s current era. “It’s a surprise to a lot of us that this has grown this big.” Sitting beside him, writer Jen Simpkins added that joining IOI during this milestone year feels like walking into a studio still hungry for ideas. “Hitman is so on top of the world still. We’re in an era where we can be more creative than ever and experiment. That’s what our team thrives on.”
That creative surge is visible in the continually expanding Hitman: World of Assassination, a stay platform that has welcomed large collaborations, genre-bending contracts, and an ongoing stream of seasonal content material; all with out dropping its id. Most lately, the “Eminem vs. Slim Shady” Elusive Target occasion, a surreal but tonally good crossover that brings the rap icon and his alter ego into the Hitman universe.
Mohl remembers that even the recording classes caught seasoned builders off guard. “Hearing his voice actually in the level was like, okay, that’s a big deal.” Simpkins famous that each David Bateson (Agent 47) and Jane Perry (Diana) had the identical surprised response.
What made the collaboration work, in accordance with Simpkins, was the surprising alignment in tone. “There’s a lot of crossover between Eminem and Hitman, so both brands offer humor but also moments of real darkness,” she stated. “It actually makes sense when you think about it.” Honoring Slim Shady as one thing nearer to a longtime persona somewhat than a fictional character required deeper collaboration. “We worked closely with him and his team to make sure we were being true to the character,” she defined. “That was a real privilege.”
The Eminem mission is just one instance of how World of Assassination has embraced a daring new celebrity-centric format. Before him got here Bruce Lee. Before Lee got here Le Chiffre from Casino Royale, performed as soon as once more by Mads Mikkelsen. That collaboration grew to become one of many clearest bridges between Hitman and IOI’s upcoming James Bond sport, 007 First Light. Mohl described the expertise of watching Mikkelsen step again into the function within the recording sales space.
“He really wanted to be Le Chiffre again,” he stated. “Hearing him totally go into character, he hadn’t forgotten anything.” The crossover additionally gave gamers unlockable bonuses that can carry into 007 First Light, making a trans-franchise second not often seen in trendy AAA improvement.
Milla Jovovich’s ‘Patient Zero: Requiem’ and the co-op future of Hitman
The growing roster now includes action actress Milla Jovovich as Lilith Devereux, star of the upcoming Patient Zero: Requiem contract set for release in February of next year. For Simpkins, her tone fits the series perfectly. “Hitman can be serious and also have moments of real levity,” she said. “We’re going to be able to capture all of that about Milla.” Just watching her on stage, she said, the team immediately saw how she could expand the series’ playfulness and danger in equal measure.
IO Interactive’s ability to pivot between moods, genres, and styles is what keeps Hitman fresh after over two decades. Every contract introduces a new lens on the sandbox, and internally, developers treat each addition like a kaleidoscope. “You just turn it slightly, and something else reveals itself,” said Mohl. Simpkins also added that every new character unlocks a new angle, a new mechanic, a new synergy inside the systemic playground that defines the series. “You bring in a new person, and suddenly there’s a new angle. We’re consistently surprised by what the world of assassination is capable of,” she explained.
That world is about to evolve even more radically with co-op, one of the most requested features in franchise history, which was revealed during their Summer Game Fest presentation this year. While details still remain sealed, Mohl hinted that the team was startled at how well the experiment worked. “We’ve been thinking about co-op for years,” said Mohl. “But it’s weirdly exponentially more fun than we expected.”
Simpkins even sees it as a storytelling breakthrough as well. “These little stories already happen through systemics as NPCs react,” she said. “Add another player, and suddenly players are creating their own stories together through their interactions. I can’t wait to see that chaos.”
If Hitman began life as a series about precision and quiet brutality, its modern form through World of Assassination is something richer: a living stage where player creativity, celebrity mythmaking, and systemic chaos meet. And as IOI prepares to expand its universe into the world of Bond while deepening the sandbox of 47, the next 25 years look even more unpredictable in the best possible way.
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