“It wouldn’t be Hitman unless it was Hitman made by IO.”
Square Enix president and CEO Yosuke Matsuda recently explained why it allowed IO Interactive to keep the Hitman IP when the two parted ways earlier this year, highlighting the intrinsic tie between the studio and its stealth-action franchise.
“It’s because I believe it wouldn’t be Hitman unless it was Hitman made by IO,” Matsuda told GamesIndustry.biz, adding that he believes fans of the series feel the same way.
“I believe the fans of Hitman think it’s only Hitman if it’s made by IO. So I thought that was the best way for the game to continue, and that’s why we were supportive of the [management buyout] and of course didn’t mind if they continued to use the IP,” he explained.
When Square Enix parted ways with IO earlier this year, the Hitman developer went independent and gained the full rights to the stealth-action IP. While the studio now has complete ownership of the Hitman franchise, it lost the right to make Kane & Lynch sequels.
The developer is currently focused on the Hitman franchise, with a new entry in the series officially in the works. In addition, a Game of the Year Edition of 2016’s Hitman is now available, and Elusive Targets are back for a limited time.
Alex Osborn is a freelance writer for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @alexcosborn.