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IO Interactive are working on a proper Hitman game: “We’ve adopted an open, non-linear level design approach to the game”

Hitman (2014) IO Interactive

Hitman’s going travelling again. “In the next game you will experience a globetrotting Agent 47 at the prime of his career – the apex predator stalking his prey across the world, with the support of his long-term handler Diana Burnwood and the whole of the ICA,” at least, that’s what IO Interactive are saying in their open letter to the community.

That’s not all.

“We’ve adopted an open, non-linear level design approach to the game, ensuring the game will play out across huge, checkpoint-free, sandbox levels.”

Oh, and there’s more excellent news, too.

“At Io-Interactive right now, we are building the next AAA Hitman game for PC and next-gen consoles,” IO says. “It has our total focus and we wanted to take a moment to tell you a few things about it.

“In the next game you will experience a globetrotting Agent 47 at the prime of his career – the apex predator stalking his prey across the world, with the support of his long-term handler Diana Burnwood and the whole of the ICA.

“The game concentrates on the core Hitman fantasy of using a wide range of tools to take out a diverse group of targets across expansive, exotic locations around the world. We are building this game on the backbone of the Glacier 2 engine, using the best parts and what we have learnt through Hitman: Absolution and drawing inspiration from past titles like Contracts and Blood Money to fulfil the core Hitman fantasy. That means we’re packing in an extreme level of detail on the largest levels we have ever built for a Hitman game. We’ve adopted an open, non-linear level design approach to the game, ensuring the game will play out across huge, checkpoint-free, sandbox levels. Our aim is to create living, breathing and believable levels which will allow gamers to play around with the AI to create those unique moments every fan of the Hitman franchise loves.”

All very good news, then. IO are once again making Hitman games that do what other games don’t, they’re providing us with a assassination sandbox. Absolution’s not to be entirely forgotten, one of its features is returning:

“Contracts Mode is back – you will be able to create and build challenges by experimenting with the large levels and possibilities within them. And of course, you can share them with the world and challenge your friends or foes to complete your hits. Your rules, your Contracts.”

Although, one of its other features very much isn’t:

“You will also be glad to hear that we have removed 47’s magic pockets. We believe that’s all we need to say about that subject.”

I’m seriously looking forward to hearing more about this new Hitman game. Coupling the gorgeous engine of Hitman: Absolution with the design tenets of the original games could lead to something truly special.

Cheers, CVG.