IO Interactive On Walking Away From The Hitman Series

Nah it’s just a joke.

Joke aside, they don’t talk about the Hitman IP as if they only have a temporary licence on it. Maybe it’s a definitive thing. If the deal comes to an end, how they will sell the game in 10 years ?

I think the situation is more complicated than that. They probably can use the license forever but have to send royalties to SE as well. The deal can be this.

Royalties are payments to owners of property for use of that property. Royalties often deal with payments for the right to use intellectual property (IP), such as copyrights, patents, and trademarks.

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Royalties - ok.
Copyright - ok.
Owner - 50/50

Who is the creator?

The owner was Eidos, then Square Enix.

https://uspto.report/company/Square-Enix-L-T-D

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It will be bittersweet for sure. I hope the gap isn’t too long. 6 years nearly killed me that one time :joy:

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I mean, if it’s 2 years of waiting without the “walking away” thing, i can guess a 6 year wait until next hitman is normal

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I’D lie to say I didnt saw this comming, after what they did with Hitman WoA, what could you do in Hitman “4”? Same gameplay again, but another ttiplle story? Hitman games always changed shape, there is no game like another, they all feel and play different, some more than others. Id be happy to see IOI have not only Bond, but also give a try on Freedom Fighters again, or K&L, or another completely different IP. IOI, just dont forgett where you came from, like many other studios do these days.

Please. Just dont. Thats all I can ask for as a fan that so far enjoyed almost all the games you made.

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IO stated in 2017 that they got full rights to the franchise.

Source:The Future of IOI - IO Interactive

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they do. but technically Squenix still owns the IP

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how though? I don’t understand.

squenix still owns the IP but gives IOI an exclusive license to it. so IOI are the only ones who can use it (and squenix, of course)

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as CEO and co-owner Hakan Abrik puts it

Abrik :thinking:

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What if in the meantime while they are working on their new IP’s they got some company working on remakeing the OG HM 1-3 games.

What do you think @MrOchoa? Hitman Codename 47 Remake mmmmm :yum:

I’d prefer a HD Remaster and a Console Port, Thanks.

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It’s not the first time :smile:


Image taken from the Official Playstation FR channel.

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This elusive man has multiple aliases :thinking:

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I think Hakan Abrak has 3 clones in IO’s lore :

  • Hakan Abrik
  • Hakan Abrade
  • Abracadabra
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Hakan Arbachezzi lll

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Hitman Absolution HD Remastered okay :+1:

Ok, but I don’t think it’s because of a licensing thing that they’re taking a long break from Hitman, it’s just that they want to be known for other things. As GameInformer mentioned, they said 'We want to be known for more than Hitman", “We still want to be known as the Hitman Studio but also the 007 Studio”

It’s a business contract. Much like KitKat. KitKat is wholly owned by Nestle, and all over the world Nestle makes KitKat. A LONG LONG TIME AGO, before anyone realised companies would become global and things would happen like BMWs being made in Texas, Nestle sold the rights to make KitKats in the USA to Hershey. Hershey makes the bars and sells them and Nestle gets a percentage of every bar sold. << this one is a forever deal but Hitman might be for a few years or forever or who knows.