IO Interactive's CEO has disclosed an innovative approach that helped the studio significantly cut costs during the development of the recent Hitman trilogy. Unlike many modern game sequels that often see ballooning budgets, the Hitman World of Assassination trilogy managed to stay financially efficient without compromising quality.

Spanning from 2016 to 2021, the latest Hitman trilogy was a critical darling, despite adhering to the franchise's signature gameplay mechanics. In January 2023, Hitman 3 was rebranded as Hitman World of Assassination, integrating content from the previous two titles at no additional cost. This move transformed the trilogy into a seamless experience, allowing players to enjoy the entire journey without interruption.

In a revealing interview on The Game Business Show podcast, IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak explained how strategic asset reuse slashed development costs. "We used to create everything from scratch, which was incredibly wasteful," Abrak admitted. "After Absolution, I vowed never to design another new toilet. Reusing assets became our mantra for the trilogy." This approach isn't uncommon in game development, but IO Interactive implemented it with remarkable efficiency.

Abrak shared rough figures to illustrate the savings: "If Hitman 2016 cost $100 million, Hitman 2 was about $60 million, and Hitman 3 dropped to just $20 million." These dramatic reductions didn't affect quality, as all three games rank among the best stealth games available. OpenCritic scores of 84, 83, and 85 respectively prove critics appreciated the games regardless of reused assets.

Latest Game Information

Despite its success, IO Interactive isn't done with Hitman World of Assassination. While working on 007 First Light, the studio has teased upcoming content for the trilogy, including a co-op mode currently in development. This continued support demonstrates the developer's commitment to expanding the Hitman universe in innovative ways.