'Hitman III' Achieves Staggering 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 includes those who utilized 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 World of Assassination isn't a single game, but a compilation of the latest Hitman trilogy. Following the release of Hitman 3, IO Interactive strategically 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.

On January 10th, IO Interactive celebrated this "monumental" achievement on Twitter, highlighting the studio's robust current business standing. While specifics regarding individual game contributions to the 75 million player base remain undisclosed, Hitman 3 is likely a significant factor, given its strong sales performance in various markets, outperforming its predecessor in some regions.

Xbox Game Pass and the Free Starter Pack: Key Drivers of Success

The phenomenal player count is largely attributed to the game's two-year availability on Xbox Game Pass (ending January 2024) and the readily accessible Free Starter Pack offered since the game's 2021 launch. Free demos for the first two trilogy entries further broadened the game's reach.

Hitman Franchise on Hiatus, New Projects on the Horizon

While Hitman: World of Assassination continues to receive regular content updates (including elusive targets), IO Interactive's current focus on the franchise appears limited to smaller content drops. The studio is currently diverting its efforts to two new projects: Project 007, a James Bond game in development since 2020, and Project Fantasy, a new IP announced in 2023, venturing into a fantastical setting.