HITMAN Developer Confirms a New Game Is Coming and Says 007 Is the Only External IP the Studio Will Ever Work On

IO Interactive has delivered a major surprise update for HITMAN: World of Assassination, introducing GRAMMY and Academy Award winning artist Eminem as the newest limited time Elusive Target. Available from now until December thirty first, the mission is free globally as part of the Free Starter Pack, giving all players a chance to take down the Slim Shady persona in true Agent Forty Seven fashion.

In an interview with Variety surrounding the Eminem update, IO Interactive chief executive officer Hakan Abrak confirmed what long time fans have been waiting to hear. A new HITMAN game is coming. Although the studio is currently focused on the upcoming 007 First Light and its unannounced online fantasy roleplaying project, the next HITMAN entry is officially on the horizon.

“Of course there will be more HITMAN,” Abrak said. “But right now, I think we need to get to the other side of this year, and next year you will get more news about co op, because I think co op is a 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.”

This statement marks the end of the unofficial hiatus that IO Interactive placed on the HITMAN franchise more than two years ago. The confirmation signals that Agent Forty Seven will be returning in a new title once the studio completes its immediate commitments.

During the same interview, Abrak added that 007 is the only external franchise the studio is willing to develop.
“We have created other original IPs from the ground up. Bond is actually the only external licensed IP that we are working on. And I would say that is probably the only IP we will work on externally that is not ours. Somehow it kind of made sense after twenty five years of rehearsing for the agent fantasy and doing 007. That was a match made in heaven. But there is no doubt HITMAN has been our flagship game, our long love for the entire time IO Interactive has existed.”

007 First Light is scheduled to launch on March twenty seven, two thousand twenty six. According to IO Interactive, the next HITMAN game will take a more linear narrative direction with strong inspirations from cinematic action games such as Naughty Dog’s Uncharted. Additional details were shared in our exclusive Gamescom two thousand twenty five interview with Senior Licensing Producer Theuns Smit.

IO Interactive now balances one of the most iconic stealth franchises in gaming, an official James Bond adaptation, and an ambitious new online fantasy IP, yet HITMAN remains the studio’s core creative identity.

What direction do you want the next HITMAN game to take, and how do you feel about co op becoming part of the franchise