Hitman developer’s next game is an online fantasy RPG
IO Interactive has announced that it’s currently developing an online fantasy RPG with all of its European studios being on the project. This announcement comes after IOI consolidated its popular Hitman series in World of Assassination, which combines content from the entire series in a single shared experience.
The new project will run under a completely new IP, as the company states: “Now we are sharing with all of you, that we are embarking on a new adventure! One that expands our creativity, our capabilities, and in some sense our identity. We are building a new world, a new IP – an online fantasy RPG. A world and a game built from the core to entertain players and expand for many years to come. It feels familiar, yet at the same time IOI is going on a journey unlike any we have been on before.”
The first official artwork for IO Interactive's online fantasy RPG.
IO Interactive
It might be a bit of a surprising move for the studio behind such renowned stealth games as the Hitman series, but IO has been talking about starting development of a new IP since 2021 at least. This project was also linked to Microsoft and Xbox by Windows Central back in 2021.
The official statement continues to read:
“For many, this journey is also a deeply personal one that began long before we started making games for a living – and it started with the fantasy genre. From the “Fighting Fantasy” books compelling you to choose your path, alone, against wizards, lizards, and thief kings. To the togetherness, camaraderie, agony, and delight found around the tabletop. For some it meant taking the role of a game master: Part storyteller, part AI opponent, part guide, part villain. For everyone around that table it meant creativity, imagination, building a world together, and a shared goal in creating a great game experience.
This idea – that a diverse group of individuals with different skills and strengths can work together and become more than the sum of their parts – is what inspires us. It inspires the fantasy world we are building – and it inspires how we build it. IOI now spans multiple distinct studios, from Copenhagen and Malmö in the north to warm Barcelona in the south. All studios take part in making all our games, including this new endeavor. People from all over the world with diverse personalities and skillsets are coming together to forge a new beginning.
This is just the start of our journey into this new world we are making. We hope you sense the warmth, the danger, the togetherness, and the heart we put into it… And if you do, we would be honored if you join us.”
There is no additional information about the game, such as a name, a release date, or a platform as of yet.
