Hitman: World of Assassination has officially reached an incredible milestone of over 75 million players, IO Interactive announced on January 10. The studio hailed the achievement as “monumental,” stating that its business is “more solid than ever.”
This milestone includes players who downloaded the World of Assassination Free Starter Pack, as well as those who accessed the game through Xbox Game Pass during its two-year tenure on the service. The complete trilogy bundle, combining Hitman (2016), Hitman 2 (2018), and Hitman 3 (2021) into a single experience, has become the Danish studio’s most successful endeavor to date.
The game’s availability on Xbox Game Pass until January 2024 and the Free Starter Pack introduced in 2021 were instrumental in reaching this massive audience. The Starter Pack offered players a taste of the franchise, making it easier for newcomers to jump into the stealth-based gameplay.
IO Interactive’s decision to relaunch the trilogy as Hitman: World of Assassination in January 2023 also helped consolidate the franchise, enhancing its appeal to a broader audience. The trilogy even expanded to Meta Quest 3 in September 2024, further increasing its reach.
Despite this success, the Hitman franchise is currently on a sort of hiatus. IO Interactive is focusing on delivering minor content updates, such as Elusive Targets, but has shifted its main development efforts to other projects.
The studio is currently working on Project 007, a James Bond game in development since 2020, and Project Fantasy, a new IP in a fantastical setting announced in 2023. These coming titles represent a significant evolution for IO Interactive, which aims to explore new creative directions beyond Hitman.
While the future of the franchise remains uncertain, its enduring popularity demonstrates the franchise’s lasting impact on the gaming industry. Fans can look forward to more updates and perhaps a return to Agent 47’s adventures down the line.
