IO has decided not to show off the latest incarnation of the Hitman franchise at E3 this year, the developer explained today. The game will have to be a mystery for a while longer, with IO focusing its efforts on building “exotic and expansive” locations.
To sate appetites, the studio has thrown up a piece of concept art from one of Hitman’s areas, set in Central Europe. IO says that the building dominating the image can be explored in its entirety.
“We know the worst thing is to hope for something that doesn’t turn up; so we wanted to let you know that our next Hitman is going to be under wraps for a bit longer,” says IO. “We’re focusing all of our time and efforts into creating the best possible Hitman game.”
In regards to the concept art, IO says, “This location is set in Central Europe and you’ll be able to explore the entire building you see in the image, inside and out. For a sense of scale, the building on its own is larger than any location in Hitman Absolution.”
While Hitman Absolution got a fairly positive critical reception, it was considered a step down from Agent 47’s previous outing, Blood Money. Environments were less open, missions were significantly more linear, and the game’s flow was hampered by breaking areas up.
Here’s hoping IO manages to reignite the spark.