Hitman: World of Assassination Passes Astonishing 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 encompasses 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 Hitman: World of Assassination isn't a single game, but a compilation of the latest Hitman trilogy. Following the release of Hitman 3, IO Interactive cleverly bundled the three titles into one 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.

IO Interactive's January 10th Twitter announcement highlighted the "monumental" success, emphasizing the studio's current robust financial standing. While specific contribution breakdowns weren't provided, Hitman 3 likely played a significant role, given its superior sales performance compared to its predecessors in key markets like the UK.

The Impact of Xbox Game Pass and the Free Starter Pack

The 75-million-player milestone is largely attributed to the game's two-year availability on Xbox Game Pass (ending January 2024) and the readily accessible free starter pack introduced in 2021. Free demos for the first two trilogy entries also significantly broadened the game's reach.

Hitman's Future: A Temporary Hiatus

While Hitman: World of Assassination continues to receive regular updates, including elusive targets, IO Interactive's current focus on the franchise appears limited. The studio is currently diverting its resources to two new projects: Project 007, a James Bond game in development since 2020, and Project Fantasy, a new IP announced in 2023 that ventures into a fantastical setting. This suggests a temporary hiatus for new Hitman game development.