Danish Hitman studio IO Interactive is collaborating with media giant Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment for a new Computer and console release.
The duo are partnering on a brand “new universe” with each other, with Warner – unsurprisingly – handling publishing and distribution. This follows IO teaming up with the entertainment giant for publishing and distribution of final year’s Hitman two.
“Over the previous handful of years, Warner Bros. has shown us 1st-hand that they realize and respect our inventive vision, and we’re seeking forward to continuing this partnership,” IO boss Hakan Abrak (pictured) stated.
“IO Interactive has a proud history of producing compelling characters and universes for our players to enjoy—it’s in our DNA. As we embark on this fascinating project to generate a new universe for IOI with each other with Warner Bros., we’re presently seeking for ambitious talent to join our group in our Copenhagen and Malmö studios for this extraordinary journey.”
The head of Warner Bros’ games arm David Haddad added: “We’re quite pleased to continue our partnership with the talented group at IO Interactive. [The studio] has a longstanding legacy of producing iconic games, and we’re seeking forward to partnering on this subsequent endeavour to bring a new console and Computer gaming encounter to players globally.”
The final handful of years have observed a good deal of alter for the Copenhagen-headquartered developer. Japanese publishing giant Square Enix announced its program to sell IO in May well 2017, with the firm sooner or later acquiring itself out and gaining independence. This followed a 2016 episodic reboot of the Hitman IP that did not meet expectations.
When IO was spun off, that title boasted more than 5 million players 3 months later, the studio stated that Hitman had seven million customers. There is also a Television series primarily based on the IP on the way, with IO saying at the time that there was two new titles in the series coming.
One particular of these was Hitman two, which was leaked by way of Warner Bros web-site ahead of an E3 2018 announcement. The firm ditched the episodic it had utilized for its predecessor for this game, telling PCGamesInsider.biz that Hitman two was a opportunity for IO to have a fresh begin as a newly-independent firm.
IO Interactive also opened a brand new studio in Sweden’s Malmö at the begin of 2019.
As for what the firm is operating on with Warner Bros, neither firm have filed any trademarks but that sound like a new video game IP. As effectively as Hitman, IO Interactive also has the Freedom FIghters IP.