Nearly half of IO laid off
When you think of IO Interactive, Hitman comes to mind. Maybe Kane & Lynch or Freedom Fighters as well — sorry to reopen old wounds — but the long-running stealth franchise is certainly right up in there. We’ll be seeing more of Agent 47 and not much else as “significant changes” unfold at the company, reports GamesIndustry International.
“The studio will focus resolutely on the future vision for the Hitman franchise and is in pre-production on a new AAA Hitman project,” reads a statement. “However we have taken the difficult decision to cancel other studio projects and initiatives at IO and reduce the workforce in this studio, which will impact almost half of the employees currently at IO, as we make internal adjustments to face the challenges of today’s market.
“For those affected, we are extremely grateful for the hard work which they have contributed, and where it’s possible and appropriate to relocate staff to open positions at other studios within the group, we will try to do so. We are also reaching out to other companies for outplacement opportunities. We sincerely wish them well in their future careers. If you are part of a company that is looking for additional development talent, please contact us directly at [email protected].”
There’s a lot riding on this new Hitman, both in terms of expectations after Absolution and “AAA” sales needed to be considered successful. Let’s hope this isn’t the beginning of the end of IO.
Hitman developer cuts half of staff, refocuses on series [GamesIndustry International]
