Agent 47 might be returning with a brand new Hitman game, and it could be another episodic adventure.
During the recent documentary from Noclip focusing on the Hitman franchise and the developer behind it, IO Interactive, it was revealed the studio is already shifting focus on a possible third Hitman title. Noclip host Danny O'Dwyer mentioned that most of the development team is working on secret new content, which may or may not be Hitman 3.
Though it's never explicitly confirmed Hitman 3 is in development, IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak did reiterate that the studio's vision was to always create three Hitman chapters. Abrak said when "the World of Assassination [is complete], it's gonna be one game with all the locations starting from Paris in Hitman 1 to the last location in Hitman 3, where it's 20-plus locations."
Abrak also teased IO Interactive could be working on potential new IPs, though he did not provide any hints as to what these new projects might entail. It's also important to note IO Interactive opened a new studio in Malmo, Sweden back in January 2019, according to GameSpot. The new studio opening goes in line with Abrak's recent comments about possibly working on Hitman 3 alongside a few new IPs.
The 40-minute NoClip documentary discusses several challenges the team at IO Interactive faced while making the two recent Hitman titles, while delving into some of the complex level design and gameplay loops. These latest games in the long-running Hitman franchise have been praised for their open-ended levels that provide plenty of player choice.
IO Interactive have proved itself to be committed to delivering new add-on content to Hitman 2 since the sequel's release back in November 2018. New maps, special events, and new Elusive targets have been added on a consistent basis these past several months. There are plenty of secrets to find in the Santa Fortuna and Mumbai maps, for example. If IO Interactive does continue to churn out quality content for Hitman fans, then Hitman 3 will surely prove to be another hit. However, it's unclear if that third entry will come anytime soon.
Noclip was founded back in 2016 by GameSpot alum Danny O’Dwyer. The production team has produced several documentaries on popular games and franchises including Horizon: Zero Dawn, Rocket League, Doom (2016), The Witcher Series, and plenty more. You can watch all of the documentaries ad-free, and you can sign up for Noclip's Patreon if you want access to different rewards, including behind the scenes footage.