Hitman (franchise)

Hitman is a stealth game franchise created by Danish developer IO Interactive. The player controls the contract killer Agent 47, who travels the world to assassinate various targets who are assigned to him.

The first game in the franchise, Hitman: Codename 47, was published by Eidos Interactive for Microsoft Windows in 2000 and introduced many of the gameplay elements that would become staples of the franchise. Eidos published the next three games, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin (2002), Hitman: Contracts (2004), and Hitman: Blood Money (2006), for Windows and consoles, each building upon Codename 47's foundation of stealth gameplay. After a six-year hiatus, Hitman: Absolution (2012) was published, and a high-definition port of the original three console games in 2013, both by Square Enix.

After another hiatus from the main series, the next game titled Hitman (2016) was released, also published by Square Enix. The second game was a direct sequel titled Hitman 2 (2018), published by Warner Bros. Games. They published an HD port of Hitman: Blood Money and Hitman: Absolution (2019). The most recent main series game, Hitman 3 (2021), was self-published by IO Interactive. In 2023, IO rebranded Hitman 3 as Hitman: World of Assassination, which imported of all content from the previous two titles to the game. Feral Interactive published Hitman Blood Money: Reprisal the following year (2023).

Mainline games in the Hitman series have been generally well-received, with most critics praising the take on stealth gameplay and freedom of approach. Outside of the eight mainline releases, the franchise includes three spin-off games, two novels, remastered and HD rereleases of games, and a comic book miniseries, and two film adaptations: Hitman (2007) and Hitman: Agent 47 (2015).

Gameplay
Primarily from a third-person perspective and set in an open world environment, the core objective of Hitman is to kill an assigned target or targets. The game allows the player different options to accomplish this task. Players can perform precise or indiscriminate assassinations; the games employ players to implement a subtle approach to completing the levels, although this is not necessary.

1998-2000: Conception and first game
When game developer Zyrinx dissolved in 1998, the remaining team reformed themselves as Reto-Moto. That team created IO Interactive (IO). IO's first intellectual property was Hitman and they created the first game in the series, titled Hitman: Codename 47. Originally, IO wanted to create a "simple shooter" titled Rex-Domonius, but the idea was scrapped by Reto-Moto.

Danish designer Jacob Andersen is responsible for the genesis of Hitman: Codename 47 and its depiction of protagonist Agent 47. Andersen is quoted saying, "We decided to do a quick game inspired by Hong Kong action movies... Basically a guy in a suit blasting away in a Chinese restaurant". Soon after the initial idea was proposed, the background for Agent 47 took hold, with the idea of a genetically modified clone assassin. The concept of taking disguises from non-player characters fundamentally changed the way Hitman would be played. It became one of the first games to implement ragdoll physics. Codename 47 was published by Eidos Interactive in 2000 and released for Windows hardware because "it was hard for us to get hold of development kits", Andersen recalls. "On top of that, 3D hardware was beginning to appear for the PC, which made it extremely interesting to develop for".

2001-2010: Sequels and first hiatus
The first sequel in the series, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, was developed by IO and published by Eidos Interactive for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and Xbox in October 2002, and GameCube in June 2003. The gameplay of Silent Assassin builds upon that of Codename 47, focusing more on its stealth mechanics and introducing features such as the option for a first-person view, the ability to incapacitate enemies instead of killing them, and missions with different approaches. "Now that the main platform was PS2, we felt more at home", Andersen remembers, though some players of the original were dissatisfied with the introduction of a mid-level save system. The controls were improved and the team tried to fix AI problems, but non-player characters found new ways to misbehave. "Many have tried to fix the AI since and all have failed", Andersen smiles. "It just has to have those odd moments, otherwise it wouldn't be Hitman".

The next sequel was Hitman: Contracts. It was developed by IO and published by Eidos Interactive for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 and Xbox in April 2004. It is both a sequel to Silent Assassin, and a remake of Codename 47, as it features several levels from the first game that were remastered with enhanced graphics, improved AI, and gameplay elements introduced in the second game. This stemmed from the fact that only 10% of Silent Assassin players had played Codename 47 due to the latter's Windows exclusivity; Andersen is quoted saying, "We decided to make Hitman 2.5 with some of the best content from [Codename 47]".

Hitman: Blood Money was developed by IO and published by Eidos Interactive for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Xbox 360 in May 2006. The game was developed alongside its predecessor and is a direct continuation of the events that occurred in the previous installment. IO and Eidos both put resources into Blood Money, achieving major improvements to the graphics, AI, and level design. The reception of the game has been generally positive and is considered a cult classic. The game has been rereleased three separate times. Once has an HD collection along with its two predecessors in 2013, again as another HD collection along with its successor in 2019, and, most recently, in the form of a "reprisal" for mobile devices in 2023 and the Nintendo Switch in 2024.

A box set, Hitman Trilogy (Hitman: The Triple Hit Pack in Europe), was released for PlayStation 2 on June 19, 2007, in North America and on June 22, 2007, in Europe by Eidos. It contains Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Hitman: Contracts and Hitman: Blood Money. The games in the collection are identical to the previously released stand-alone versions.

After the release of Blood Money, IO started development on a new video game franchise called Kane & Lynch (2007 and 2010) and a more family-friendly franchise called Mini Ninjas (2009).

2011-2017: Hitman: Absolution and second hiatus
Hitman: Absolution was developed by IO Interactive and published by Square Enix, following their acquisition of Eidos Interactive in 2009. It was released on 20 November 2012 worldwide for Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Before release, the developers stated that Absolution, while still a stealth game, would drop the sandbox levels created in the first four Hitman games and adopt many action game style elements such as having a cinematic story-driven narrative and more emphasis on gunplay in order to be accessible to a larger player base. In an attempt to become more accessible, the developers introduced a mechanic called 'Instinct', which allowed Agent 47 to monitor enemies easier, as it highlighted them through walls and highlighted objects of interest too. This feature would become a mainstay for the franchise moving forward.

Upon release, Absolution received mixed-positive reviews, with many fans of the earlier Hitman games criticizing the departure from the classic gameplay formula. Although the game sold over 4.5-5 million copies, it failed to reach predicted sales targets. On 15 May 2014, Hitman: Absolution — Elite Edition was released for OS X by Feral Interactive; it contains all previously released downloadable content, including Hitman: Sniper Challenge, a "making of" documentary, and a 72-page artbook.

In January of 2013, Square Enix released HD remastered versions of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Hitman: Contracts, and Hitman: Blood Money for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 titled Hitman HD Trilogy, and was released in North America, January 31, 2013 in Australia and February 2, 2013.

Hitman Go was released for iOS on 17 April 2014, and for Android on 4 June 2014. and is a turn based puzzle video game developed by Square Enix Montreal. The Microsoft Windows and the Windows Phones version of the game was released on 27 April 2015. A "Definitive Edition" including improved visuals and all additional content was released for the PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4 and PC via Steam on 23 February 2016.

Hitman: Sniper is a first-person shooter developed by Square Enix Montreal. It was released for iOS and Android on 4 June 2015. The game does not include any story elements and focuses on Agent 47 executing targets from a static location using a sniper rifle.

2016-present: World of Assassination trilogy and self-publication
Following the under-performance of Absolution, the next title was conceived as a re-imagining of the franchise as IO Interactive attempted to combine the gameplay elements introduced in Absolution with the open-ended nature of older Hitman games. A soft reboot of the series was announced at E3 2015 and was published by Square Enix. Titled Hitman, the game's first level was released in March 2016 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to highly positive reviews. Episodic in nature, Hitman features six levels that were released throughout 2016, one month apart from each other, along with additional content at launch, such as "Elusive Targets", "Escalations", and user-created "Contracts" (similar to Absolution's "Contracts" mode). The developers chose the episodic approach to give themselves more time to work on each level, while also letting them create a living game that will expand over time and establish a foundation for the series' future. As such, the compilation of the levels that were released in 2016 would be the first season of Hitman, with seasons 2 and 3 to follow in the proceeding years.

Even though the first season of Hitman was well received, the game was not financially successful enough for Square Enix and in 2017, they decided to part ways with IO. This forced IO to become an independent studio, but have full control of the Hitman IP. IO dropped the season format established before and created the new Hitman game as a stand-alone title. Hitman 2 was announced in June 2018 by IO Interactive and Warner Bros. Games (who published the title). The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in November 2018. Like 2016's Hitman, it was structured around six large sandbox levels, but unlike its predecessor, the game is not episodic and introduces several features, multiplayer mode, and two additional levels post-launch. Players had the option to carry over levels from the first game at an additional cost; if a player already owned the first game, they were able to do so free of charge, while retaining all their original progress.

A compilation was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 11 January 2019 worldwide by Warner Bros. Games through the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store featuring updated ports of Hitman: Blood Money and Hitman: Absolution for both platforms, called Hitman HD: Enhanced Collection. This port promised updated graphics, 4K resolution, improved textures, lighting, and updated controls for both games.

Hitman 3 was revealed at the PlayStation 5 reveal event in 2020, and released in January 2021 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, and Nintendo Switch (as a cloud version). The game was developed and self-published by IO Interactive. Similarly to Hitman 2, Hitman 3 would not be episodic and gave players the option to carry over progress from the previous two games. For the first time in the series, the game included VR support, which extended to levels imported from the first two games. The game was positively received, with many citing it as the best entry in the series to date, and was also the most commercially successful Hitman game. IO Interactive supported Hitman 3 extensively with several releases of downloadable content and free updates that added new features, game modes, and a new map. In January 2023, IO announced that Hitman and Hitman 2 would be merged into Hitman 3, which would be renamed Hitman: World of Assassination. Support for the game has continued well into mid-2024.

A digital-only collection of all the games from the World of Assassination trilogy was released on 20 January 2022 by IO Interactive. It features Hitman 3 as well as access passes to play the content from Hitman and Hitman 2 within Hitman 3. A Premium Add-Ons bundle included all DLC for the games, excluding the "Seven Deadly Sins" DLC from Hitman 3. The Hitman Trilogy bundle was available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Steam and Epic Games.

Under license from IO, Hitman Sniper: The Shadows was a first-person shooter developed by Square Enix Montreal and was a sequel to Hitman: Sniper. It was released for iOS and Android on 3 March 2022. It included the same gameplay as its predecessor, without Agent 47 as a playable character. It is the last Hitman game to be published by Square Enix, as it sold most of its assets to Embracer Group, and the game was discontinued by January 2023.

A collection titled Hitman: World of Assassination was released on January 26, 2023. It allowed the importation of all content from 2016's Hitman and Hitman 2 into Hitman 3.

Future
In various interviews conducted with IO Interactive, they have confirmed that despite Hitman 3 being the final game in the World of Assassination trilogy, it will not be the last game in the franchise.

Reception
The main games in the Hitman franchise have received generally positive reviews for their level design and gameplay elements. In particular the level of freedom offered to players and the unique approach to stealth gameplay. The series has received multiple awards and nominations, including several Game of the Year awards. It has also been commercially successful, selling over 15 million copies worldwide as of 2015 with the World of Assassination trilogy alone reaching over 50 million players as of November 2021.

Original series
Hitman: Codename 47 received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic. Jim Preston reviewed the PC version of the game for Next Generation, rating it three stars out of five, and calling it "A deeply flawed masterpiece that will, nonetheless, reward forgiving gamers." Codename 47 received a "Silver" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), indicating sales of at least 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom. In April 2009, Square Enix revealed that Codename 47 had surpassed half a million sales globally. The game sold over 500,000 copies and received mixed reviews due to its controls and difficulty.

Silent Assassin received generally positive reviews from critics, who considered it to be an improvement over its predecessor in every aspect. The game was also a commercial success, having sold more than 3.7 million copies as of 23 April 2009, which makes it the best-selling Hitman game in the original series.

Contracts was met with generally positive reviews; praise was directed at the improved gameplay elements, graphics, soundtrack, darker tone and atmosphere, while criticism was reserved for the lack of significant improvements and the familiarity with the previous two games. As of April 2009, the game has sold around 2 million copies.

Blood Money was a critical and commercial success, selling more than 2.1 million copies. It has gained a cult following and is considered by many publications and critics as one of the greatest video games of all time.

Absolution was met with a polarized reception. Most positive comments were concerning the game's graphics, environments and locations, and the varied gameplay options. However, many critics and many long time fans of the series disliked the game for its linear structure, as opposed to the open ended nature of previous installments. As of March 2013, the game had sold over 3.6 million copies, failing to reach predicted sales targets.

World of Assassination trilogy
2016's Hitman received positive reviews; critics praised the game's episodic release format, locations, level design, and its replayability but criticized the always-online requirement and excessive handholding. The game under-performed commercially and caused publisher Square Enix to divest from IO Interactive in May 2017. Despite the slow start, IO Interactive announced the game had attracted seven million players as of November 2017 and more than 13 million players had played the game by May 2018. Hitman was nominated for Best Action/Adventure Game at The Game Awards 2016 and Evolving Game at the 13th British Academy Games Awards. Video game publication Giant Bomb named Hitman their Game of the Year in 2016.

Hitman 2 was met with generally positive reviews, with most critics considering it to be an improvement over its predecessor. It debuted at tenth place in the UK's all-format sales charts. In Japan, the PlayStation 4 version sold 10,162 copies within its debut week, which made it the fifth best-selling retail game of the week in the country. The game was nominated for "Control Design, 3D" and "Game, Franchise Adventure" at the National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards.

Hitman 3 received generally favorable reviews, with most critics regarding it as the best entry in the World of Assassination trilogy, and some even calling it the best Hitman game to date. The game was nominated for multiple year-end awards, and won several of them, including "PC Game of the Year" at the 2021 Golden Joystick Awards. Hitman 3 was also the most commercially successful of the franchise, selling 300% better than Hitman 2 and making back its development costs in only a week.

Collections
This collection was a boxset that was released in 2007 and included three of the original Hitman titles. Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Hitman: Contracts, and Hitman: Blood Money were all sold in this boxset together and it was released on the PS2. Just like the original releases of the games, the bundle was received positively.

This HD collection was released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It includes an Xbox 360 port of Hitman: Blood Money to both the consoles and an HD remaster of Hitman: Absolution. Both games were released on 4K with 60fps, has texture and lighting improvements, and introduces updated controls for a "...more fluid experience". This bundle received a mixed-positive review as noted by PlayStation Country, who gave the score a 7/10: "As a remaster, Hitman HD Enhanced Collection does deliver the best looking edition of these games to consoles. If either of these titles are missing from your Hitman collection, it's worth a look".

Spin-offs
Following its announcement, Hitman Go was met with some skepticism from critics. However, the game received a positive reception with praise for the art, aesthetics, simple gameplay mechanics, and translation of Hitman to a mobile device. It received several nominations and awards from gaming publications and award organizations.

Hitman: Sniper was met with generally favorable reviews. Some reviewers praised the cleverness and minimalism of its puzzle design, but wanted more variety from its activity-dense scenarios.

Films
A film adaptation of the game series was released in 2007. The film, titled Hitman, is set in a separate continuity from the game series, directed by Xavier Gens and starring Timothy Olyphant as Agent 47. Executive producer Vin Diesel was originally cast to play Agent 47 but was replaced for unknown reasons. The film also stars Dougray Scott, Robert Knepper, Ulrich Thomsen and Michael Offei. In the film, the International Contract Agency is replaced by a similar group called the Organization, which, like the ICA, benefits from ties to various government agencies, is neutral in global matters and morality, and performs missions all over the world. Unlike the game wherein the hitmen are contracted from a range of backgrounds, the Organization instead recruits orphans and trains them from an early age.

A reboot was planned but Olyphant stated on the Nerdist podcast that he had no interest in returning for a sequel and only did the original film in order to pay for his new house following the sudden cancellation of Deadwood.

On 5 February 2013, it was reported that the film series was being rebooted with the title Hitman: Agent 47, directed by Aleksander Bach. Screenwriter of the original film, Skip Woods, wrote the screenplay with Mike Finch and starring Rupert Friend as 47 after Paul Walker, who was originally cast, was killed in a car crash on 30 November 2013. The film also stars Zachary Quinto, Hannah Ware, Thomas Kretschmann, Dan Bakkedahl and Ciarán Hinds.

In 2015, Hitman film producer Adrian Askarieh stated that he hoped to oversee a film universe with Just Cause, Hitman, Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, and Thief, but admitted that he does not have the rights to Tomb Raider. In May 2017, the Game Central reporters at Metro UK suggested that the shared universe was unlikely, pointing out that no progress had been made on any Just Cause, Deus Ex nor Thief films.

Television series
In November 2017, Hulu and Fox 21 Television Studios announced it would produce a television series based on the game. Derek Kolstad, Adrian Askarieh and Chuck Gordon would serve as its executive producers. The pilot episode would be written by Kolstad. Kolstad has stated that his adaption of Agent 47 will differ slightly from that of the vision IO has already made. Despite being announced in 2017, he does not know when the TV series will start filming.

Literature
William C. Dietz wrote the first novel in the Hitman book series, titled Hitman: Enemy Within. It was released on August 28, 2007, and published by Del Rey Books. Set between the events of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin and Hitman: Blood Money, the novel centers around Puissance Treize, an organisation rival to ICA.

The second novel in the Hitman book series, Hitman: Damnation, was written by Raymond Benson and was published on October 30, 2012. It serves as a tie-in and prequel to Hitman: Absolution.

IO Interactive partnered with Dynamite Entertainment to create Agent 47: Birth of the Hitman, a six-issue comic book miniseries that ran from November 2017 to June 2018, and was later released as a graphic novel in 2019. The series ties-in with the World of Assassination trilogy and depicts 47's life before the events of the games, including his upbringing at Dr. Ort-Meyer's asylum and his previous career as a brainwashed assassin for Providence alongside his best friend, Lucas Grey / Subject 6. IO Interactive had complete control over the storyline of the comic.