After the finish of the first
Hitman season Square Enix decided to ditch IO Interactive, the developer best know for the work on the
Hitman and
Kane & Lynch series. The company didn't close the developer, but has actively started searching for a buyer. They didn't found one, as at the end of the day IO Interactive "bought" their freedom. Somehow, they also managed to keep the rights to
Hitman and
Freedom Fighters.
In an interview with Gamesindustry.biz, Square Enix's president and CEO Yosuke Matsuda elaborated on the potential price of the second and third season of
Hitman. The calculations didn't add, so the suits let Agent 47 to stay home:
"Whether it's our Western studios or Japanese studios, at Square Enix we sometimes end up with conflicts or shortages in terms of resources. I felt that if we were not able to continue sufficiently investing in Hitman, it could wind up ruining the game - so we found ourselves in a difficult position. "A decision had to be made in terms of our relationship with the Hitman team. I wanted them to continue to develop the game, but I thought in terms of investing further in the game it would be best if they worked with another partner other than ourselves."
That's a nice move, considering that most of "ineffective" and "pricey" developers get shut down and their franchises are locked up these times. We hope that IO Interactive will hit a bullseye with
Hitman's season two.