Less than a week after its release, Hitman 3 has already been profitable for developer and publisher IO Interactive. It’s the first game in the series to be self-published after a long relationship with Eidos and Square Enix, followed by Warner Bros. publishing Hitman 2.
“As the developer and publisher, we are immensely proud that we can say Hitman 3 is already profitable,” IO Interactive told GamesIndustry.biz in a statement. “We have recouped the total project costs in less than a week. That puts us in a really good place and allows us to confidently move forward with our ambitious plans for future projects.
Those projects include a 007 James Bond game, which will be an origin story not based on any of the existing actors’ portrayals of the character. In the past, IO Interactive also developed the cult-hit third-person tactical shooter Freedom Fighters, which saw the United States invaded by Russia and a plumber leading an underground guerrilla movement to take back New York City.
The future of the Hitman franchise, and IO Interactive itself, was murkier just a few years ago. Following the 2016 Hitman game’s release, Square Enix split from the studio and it looked like it could be the end of the franchise. Instead, IO Interactive paid for full ownership of Hitman and set out on its own.
Hitman 3 just might be the best game in the series to date. In our Hitman 3 review, Phil Hornshaw praised how the game made the best elements of the previous games even better, as well as how it managed to subvert players’ expectations. If you are struggling, check out our Hitman 3 guides and tips to help you plan the perfect assassination.
GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.
