# Are IOI a “bad” company?

**URL:** <https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419>\
**Category:** Off-Topic\
**Created:** [June 6, 2025, 10:31pm UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419 "2025-06-06T22:31:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 17\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![zeldafan643](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/zeldafan643/32/129202_2.png) [@zeldafan643](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/zeldafan643)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 10:31pm UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/1 "2025-06-06T22:31:17Z")

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i’ve been hearing a lot lately about some abhorrent things IOI have done, and i’m not sure if the validity of these claims. i’m awful at separating the art from the artist, so i would like to find out if the claims are true or not

edit: all i can remember is something about them donating a ton of money to israel but i can’t find the original post

edit 2: this was not intended to be bait, i just completely forgot about this post

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**Author:** ![pissfloyd](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/pissfloyd/32/102459_2.png) [@pissfloyd](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/pissfloyd)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 10:36pm UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/2 "2025-06-06T22:36:55Z")

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Probably untrue. Tell us what you’ve heard.

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**Author:** ![Cilens](https://www.hitmanforum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/bc79bd/32.png) [@Cilens](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/Cilens)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 11:44pm UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/3 "2025-06-06T23:44:17Z")

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Tell us what you heard about first. Otherwise this is a bait.

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**Author:** ![Norseman](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/norseman/32/34084_2.png) [@Norseman](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/Norseman)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2025, 6:12am UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/4 "2025-06-07T06:12:07Z")

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Do you have a source?

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**Author:** ![Swangtheugly](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/swangtheugly/32/112866_2.png) [@Swangtheugly](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/Swangtheugly)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2025, 7:07am UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/5 "2025-06-07T07:07:02Z")

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Sources are I made it up.

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**Author:** ![Gontranno47](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/gontranno47/32/2091_2.png) [@Gontranno47](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/Gontranno47)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2025, 10:43am UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/6 "2025-06-07T10:43:55Z")

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Hello 🙂 I’ll preface this by saying that donating money to a country, no matter which side of a political conflict they’re on, doesn’t make someone inherently ‘bad’.

Are you sure the original source was talking about IO Interactive the videogame developer? Because the Israel Outreach Initiative does a lot of non-profit work overseas in support of Israel’s diplomatic and foreign affairs goals. Though I’m also not sure how a corporate entity donates directly to a country. It would have to donate to an Israel-based charity, employer or non-profit like TogetherwithIsrael

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**Author:** ![Arab](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/arab/32/136421_2.png) [@Arab](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/Arab)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2025, 10:50am UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/7 "2025-06-07T10:50:40Z")

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IOI definitely didnt, could they afford to do so?

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**Author:** ![Gontranno47](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/gontranno47/32/2091_2.png) [@Gontranno47](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/Gontranno47)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2025, 11:02am UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/8 "2025-06-07T11:02:00Z")

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I doubt they did, but I’m going with it because there’s still something to learn from it. If they did, it could’ve just been donating to a local charity. If they donated to a charity in Russia, no matter the amount, they would be accused of financing Russia too.

IOI’s in the middle of a major game showcase, the last thing they’d be doing is giving away money 😄 Unless it’s a bribe to buy favour with the licensing board so the game can receive a slightly lower advisory rating, to broaden their market access in the country when the new 007 game comes out 🧐

I joke 😄 but I’d still like to hear from Zeldafan

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**Author:** ![Norseman](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/norseman/32/34084_2.png) [@Norseman](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/Norseman)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 7:17am UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/9 "2025-06-09T07:17:53Z")

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@zeldafan643 I don’t know how to regard this thread you started.

I think it’s paramount that if you decide to create a thread to put IO or any other company’s reputation into jeopardy. That you follow up with some kind of evidence to support your claims.

If you can’t do that, then I will have to regard this as an attempt to sow division and discontent between the company and the fan base.

The later is far from welcome on HMF. It’s fine to hold IO accountable, it’s not fine to pull something out of the ass and present it as a full meal.

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**Author:** ![Tetrafish\_21](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/tetrafish_21/32/89259_2.png) [@Tetrafish\_21](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/Tetrafish_21)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 8:12am UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/10 "2025-06-09T08:12:58Z")

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> [@zeldafan643](#):
>
> all i can remember is something about them donating a ton of money to israel but i can’t find the original post

I don’t know about that. I think there was something about IOI having some kind of collaboration with a company that was pro Zionist (see the link to the topic in this post)… and _that_ being associated with Israel’s treatment towards Palestinians. But I’m ~~sure~~ _certain_ the majority of superpower countries have their dark sides, deep state actors, etc. So there’s no country (or very few) that isn’t completely without some element of evil at work within their system of control… Or are puppets of a larger, hidden power. cough2020coughandwheez

There was another topic poo-poo’ing IOI. The Z(word) thing was part of it, along with utilizing 2 or 3 controversial figures for their Celebr’ETs.

> [@Bye \<3 cherry\_blossom (now updated!)](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/bye-3-ill-miss-everyone/24257):
>
> play_button Old Post \<3 Hellow Forum Friends! I have come back to the post on Xmas day to bring you the gift of an update!! pink_heart Earlier this year, I left the Hitman Forum and community, tired of all of, well you know. It was really affecting me and my ability to stay active around here. I was truly planning on leaving forever. But a few months later I saw a post on the modding discord about Luka and I really wanted to help. So I returned and made a fundraiser mod for them - one I always wanted…

FWIW, I can only see the collab with McGregor as a risky gamble. He’s got plenty of nasty things on his record, but he’s also utilized in various other media, not just as a gimmick for IOI. So I can’t (personally) fault IOI for much else. JCVD’s thing (as far as I know) only came to light shortly after the fact when his ET was already released.

Is IOI a bad company? Eh… No. Definitely not perfect, but I highly doubt they have nefarious/sinister intentions.

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**Author:** ![Gontranno47](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/gontranno47/32/2091_2.png) [@Gontranno47](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/Gontranno47)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 11:30am UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/11 "2025-06-09T11:30:55Z")

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Even if IOI was guilty of all of the above, other than a basic background check, no company can be accountable for the opinions and actions of every person and organization they associate with. Imagine having to vet every friend you make in case they say something inappropriate and you get labelled evil because of it.

We are not what others do 🙂

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**Author:** ![Norseman](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/norseman/32/34084_2.png) [@Norseman](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/Norseman)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 12:19pm UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/12 "2025-06-09T12:19:07Z")

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> [@Gontranno47](#):
>
> no company can be accountable for the opinions and actions of every person and organization they associate with.

I agree to a degree. IO could have been more selective in who they choose or at least a more thorough background check.

A lot of the backlash regarding both Gary Busey and Conor Mcgregor could have been avoided in totality by being more selective with who they hire.

IO might not endorse their actions or views. However they become associated with the people they hire for good or worse. Even if this is done by ignorance, it’s tone deaf from IO’s part.

This isn’t a case where they hired individuals who then turned out to be rotten apples. Like when Lucas film hired Gina Carano and then she shared controversial and harmful views.

When you are hired into a big company with a social media presence, your become an extension of their promotion and their values.

Of course there freedom of speech, but they are free to distance themselves from you if the views don’t align.

In this day and age, it’s extremely important that companies are thorough, choosing questionable people can easily lead to major problems. We seen this happen again and again. It’s outright shooting yourself in the foot, by not thinking it through.

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**Author:** ![Gontranno47](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/gontranno47/32/2091_2.png) [@Gontranno47](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/Gontranno47)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 12:41pm UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/13 "2025-06-09T12:41:43Z")

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In future, IO would benefit from not having celebrity ETs (even thought I expect they’re a good PR hook) and should stick to original characters they retain the rights to.

We live in a society where if someone does something controversial, it’s become par for the course for everyone and every company they’ve been connected to, to make a statement distancing themselves from the individual and their opinions. To fail to do so within an immediate timeframe defaults them to the position of assumed support for the views in question. I suppose the wider issue is that one person’s actions or words shouldn’t auto-incriminate everyone around them to the point where they need to have face saving statements at the ready. Individuals should be viewed as individuals, without those around them being guilty by association until they make a public display of ostracization.

That said, the Conor Mcgregor ET was a gamble from the start because he’s a heel whose media persona is based around bad behavior. Though I always wondered if his notoriety was the reason IO thought people might want to throw an exploding duck at him 😄

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**Author:** ![Norseman](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/norseman/32/34084_2.png) [@Norseman](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/Norseman)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 12:45pm UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/14 "2025-06-09T12:45:29Z")

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> [@Gontranno47](#):
>
> In future, IO would benefit from not having celebrity ETs

I believe you can have your cake and eat it too. IO will just need to be more selective with who they hire.

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**Author:** ![ZeroGravitas](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/zerogravitas/32/144781_2.png) [@ZeroGravitas](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/ZeroGravitas)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 12:45pm UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/15 "2025-06-09T12:45:58Z")

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> [@Gontranno47](#):
>
> That said, the Conor Mcgregor ET was a gamble from the start because he’s a heel whose media persona is based around bad behavior.

No, Conor MacGregor was a gamble because he’d been accused of assault and sexual assault multiple times when they hired him and had a rape case making its way through the courts. Conor MacGregor isn’t playing a "heel”. He’s a terrible human being.

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**Author:** ![Gontranno47](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/gontranno47/32/2091_2.png) [@Gontranno47](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/Gontranno47)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 12:52pm UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/16 "2025-06-09T12:52:19Z")

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Oftentimes the heel persona bleeds into reality when they think themselves invincible. I wasn’t aware he was going through a legal battle at the time of the ET, had he been found guilty of the other offenses at the time?

> [@Norseman](#):
>
> IO will just need to be more selective with who they hire.

Rockstar had a similar issue with using celebrities in the pre-GTA IV games because of complaints of verbal abuse and inappropriate remarks too. It also creates an issue of if you want to re-launch an ET, or if the celebrity should die or retire and become unavailable. It just seems unwise to tether your company to the reputation of another (especially performers whose fame often comes from drama).

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**Author:** ![Norseman](https://www.hitmanforum.com/user_avatar/www.hitmanforum.com/norseman/32/34084_2.png) [@Norseman](https://www.hitmanforum.com/u/Norseman)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 12:53pm UTC](https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/are-ioi-a-bad-company/24419/17 "2025-06-09T12:53:09Z")

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I believe IO was ignorant in their hiring. That they didn’t take the necessary steps to avoid a scandal. I hope that they understand this now and going forward they are more selective.