Summary
IO Interactive, most famous for itsHitmanseries, has announced its next game,Project007. But despite the IP’s popularity,Project 007may fly under the radar of potential players.
IO Interactive’s most recent release,Hitman 3,closed out its World of Assassination trilogy, but the company doesn’t seem ready to abandon stealth games quite yet. It has been announced thatProject 007will be a proper origin story for James Bond, an idea the films have never fully portrayed. If their previous games are anything to go by, Bond will be placed in many situations requiring him to sneak his way past enemies or take them out sneakily as perfect training for the world-renowned super spy. As well as the company’s history pairs with the007IP, though, the title might be too sneaky for its own good for the next little while.
IO Interactive’s Stealth May Not Remain in Its Gameplay
Though the company has made a name for itself among fans, IO Interactive is easy to miss until its games are released. But when its games are finally released, the shadows aren’t where they should be. TheHitmangames aresome of the best stealth games on the market, and yet don’t receive a bunch of hype, even at the time of release. With a high-profile IP like the Bond franchise, the company needs to make more noise when revealing updates and upon its release. Otherwise, the game risks falling into obscurity.
Leaving Hitman Behind May Be a Challenge
Agent 47 has been with IO Interactive since its first release in 2000 and has returned in each game in theHitmanfranchise. While the company has indicated that the franchise isn’t over, it’s clear that 47 will be taking an extended break as IO focuses on other games. In addition toProject 007, it is also focusing efforts on anonline multi-player fantasy RPG. With a full plate, IO is giving itself a lot of work to keep track of.
The departure from its flagship series also means a departure from the themes and genres it represents. TheHitmangames, as well asmost of IO’s other most popular games, shed light on the shady underside of the espionage and criminal world. Though Bond and 47 share sneaky similarities, James Bond is on the side of the law. IO’s interest in crime stories might be hard for it to shake when focusing on a character with such strong moral fiber.
Adapting the007IP correctly should be the most important part of its development process, and IO should have as much time as it needs to ensure that the transition between gameplay playstyles is fluid, even if that means it takes a while longer forProject 007to launch.
The Timing of Release Has a Perfect Window, But the Clock is Ticking
The Bond franchise is between eras at the moment as a new actor hasn’t been cast, nor has a new movie been announced. This could be a double-edged sword for IO Interactive when it approaches the release ofProject 007. Striking while there isn’t a set face for Bond or a current storyline means thatIO Interactive’s Bond game comes at a good timebecause fans of the films are starved for content.
What’s more, with no movies bolstering the image of the franchise, players who aren’t Bond fans might not be interested in his story. WhileProject 007is in good hands, its far-off release and franchise lull cause a risk that it will sneak right past potential players.
Hitman World of Assassination
WHERE TO PLAY
Enter the world of the ultimate assassin.BECOME AGENT 47-Suit up for a spy-thriller adventure where all your deadly abilities are put to the test across more than 20 locations.FREEDOM OF APPROACH-Your deadliest weapon is creativity. Unlock new gear and up your game on highly replayable missions.WORLD OF ASSASSINATION -Travel a living, breathing world, filled with intriguing characters and lethal opportunities.HITMAN FREELANCER -A new way to play on your own terms, that combines rogue-like elements and deep strategic planning with a persistent and infinitely replayable gameplay experience.HITMAN World of Assassination brings together the best of HITMAN, HITMAN 2 and HITMAN 3 including the main campaign, contracts mode, escalations, elusive target arcades and featured live content.
