'Hitman: World of Assassination' Surpasses Player Milestone

Hitman: World of Assassination Reaches 75 Million Players, a Monumental Milestone for IO Interactive

IO Interactive proudly announced that Hitman: World of Assassination has surpassed a remarkable 75 million players. This achievement solidifies its position as potentially the studio's most successful title to date. The impressive player count includes those who downloaded the free starter pack and those who accessed the game via Xbox Game Pass during its two-year tenure on the service.

It's important to note that World of Assassination isn't a single game, but a compilation of three titles. Following the release of the trilogy's third installment, IO Interactive cleverly bundled the latest three Hitman games into a single package, while maintaining the option for individual purchases. This combined trilogy relaunched on PC and consoles in January 2023 and expanded to the Meta Quest 3 in September 2024.

On January 10th, IO Interactive celebrated this "monumental" achievement on Twitter, highlighting the studio's robust current business standing. While specific contribution breakdowns weren't provided, Hitman 3 likely played a significant role, given previous sales data indicating its outperformance in key markets like the UK and faster recoupment of development costs compared to its predecessors.

Xbox Game Pass and the Free Starter Pack: Key Drivers of Success

The game's availability on Xbox Game Pass for two years (until January 2024) significantly contributed to the 75 million player milestone. Equally impactful was the free starter pack offered since the game's 2021 launch, along with free demos for the first two trilogy entries, which broadened the game's reach.

Hitman Series on Hiatus, New Projects in Development

While Hitman: World of Assassination continues to receive regular content updates (primarily Elusive Targets), IO Interactive is currently focused on other projects. The studio is developing Project 007, a James Bond game in development since 2020, and Project Fantasy, a new IP announced in 2023, showcasing a departure into a fantastical setting. This suggests a temporary hiatus for new Hitman game development.