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Square-Enix trying to sell off IO Interactive (Hitman)

Raguna

Neo Member
Damn, and the game isn't even out in Japan yet!

(Because it is getting the full localisation treatment (i.e. voice acting and not just subs).

They don't know what they're missing out on ;(
 
Let's be real here.

The initial reactions to Hitman were very negative. Positivity may have started to pick up later on, but the first impressions are usually always the most important. Especially for a high budget triple A production.

I think the episodic format could have worked fine. However, the always online bullshit and the bad PC port at launch drove many away from buying it.

I refuse to believe Hitman 2016 is an AAA production, especially since they reused a lot of voice actors for several of its episodic missions
 

Randdalf

Member
Let's be real here.

The initial reactions to Hitman were very negative. Positivity may have started to pick up later on, but the first impressions are usually always the most important. Especially for a high budget triple A production.

I think the episodic format could have worked fine. However, the always online bullshit and the bad PC port at launch drove many away from buying it.

I don't think always online really drove away many people at all. I do think it would have been a lot more financially successful if released and marketed as a full game, but the episodic nature definitely got me more invested in it.
 
This is terribly depressing news. Hitman 2016 was a really good game, why give the go ahead for a Season 2 if you're just going to turf them out?!
 

Lingitiz

Member
Hitman is awesome, but I never got the sense that it really broke through in terms of sales. Even on their social media channels the chatter seems really quiet relative to the reception of the game. I wouldn't be surprised if early word of the episodic format scared a lot of people away early on.
 

kami_sama

Member
Bufffff, It is really sad to see IO be sold without any recourse.
The new Hitman was great (although I didn't buy it, I am not really a fan of the franchise) but it seems it didn't sell as much as they hoped.
At least it hasn't been closed, although I fear something like this is going to happen to Eidos Montreal and other western studios.
 

NightOnyx

Member
This really sucks. I hope that season 2 is far enough along that it gets released, but it's disappointing to see season 1 not do well. The praise around here and Giantbomb was obviously great, but it seemed like the general audience saw that it was episodic and wanted nothing to do with it. It's a shame because the game is perfect for episodic content.
 
Hey guys, systems driven sandbox games are coming back and they're good again


Now they're all going to die unless they're $80 million open world titles
 

asker

Member
Best game in recent memory. It's a rare gem so chock-full of content that I don't even know how it exists. The Sapienza level is a masterpiece of open gameplay and I now dread that we won't see anything like it in a long time.

If you haven't played it yet and are fed up with games guiding your through a corridor, spoon feeding you content and you want a game that respects your intelligence and rewards your imagination, get it now!
 
I vaguely recall SE not really knowing how they wanted to release this game too. The episodic announcement initially got a bit of backlash.

Yeah, they just seemed to put that news out there and completely failed to justify or sell the episodic change. Square Enix Europe are legit terrible.
 

patapuf

Member
Hey guys, systems driven sandbox games are coming back and they're good again


Now they're all going to die unless they're $80 million open world titles

I was so full of hope.

I am now going to become a bitter hermit preaching about the new old days and yelling at clouds.
 

F4r0_Atak

Member
Shit... for a second I thought about how cool it would be if IO Interactive rebooted the Syphon Filter franchise under SIE WWS: Sandbox levels and mission-based structure (like Hitman), choose your gear before each mission, complete optional objectives to unlock new gears, limit the casualties or kill every enemy unlock special gear, etc.
 

cheesekao

Member
I really don't think episodic AAA games are a sustainable business. After the first episode, it's almost assured that you'll see continuous diminished returns for every consecutive episode.
 
I really don't think episodic AAA games are a sustainable business. After the first episode, it's almost assured that you'll see continuous diminished returns for every consecutive episode.

Yeah, most people would only buy the first episode just to see what it's all about.

It's pretty cheap and they're not buying the next episodes if they're not impressed or lose interest when they're out.
 

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
None of these categories have the correct winners attached to them.
I'm going with Warner.

They've been on the warpath lately, bought Avalanche from Disney to make a Harry Potter game, tried to buy Eidos before Square Enix outbid them in the first place, and if Square Enix wants to keep the IP, Warner wouldn't care as they have so many others they would prefer to put IO on.

Beyond that, ZeniMax/Bethesda likes boutique software (though maybe not anymore after Dishonored 2 and Prey), and Ubisoft needs warm bodies.

They don't seem like the right kind of studio for a Korean or Chinese investment, and they're too expensive for most smaller publishers, yet too irrelevant for the biggest ones.
 

F4r0_Atak

Member
Time for WB Interactive to buy.

I wouldn't trust WB either. Take-Two would be better suited for the type of games that IO worked on so far. Imagine the possibilities... like having Rockstar's Agent project revamped/rebooted by IO Interactive.
 
Oh shit, wow.

I didn't play Hitman but I know it was well received by a lot of people, seeing this obviously it wasn't making enough money. So as far as we know the only AAA non-Marvel game the western studios of Square Enix are working on is Shadow of the Tomb Raider now.

Was Shadow of the tomb raider ever actually confirmed? I thought it was a rumor based on something some guy saw in a train.

Even if it was real I would have assumed it got scrapped in favor of Marvel projects once that deal was announced
 

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
I wouldn't trust WB either. Take-Two would be better suited for the type of games that IO worked on so far. Imagine the possibilities... like having Rockstar's Agent project revamped/rebooted by IO Interactive.
Modern Take-Two isn't a boutique publisher.
 

Ross61

Member
I wouldn't trust WB either. Take-Two would be better suited for the type of games that IO worked on so far. Imagine the possibilities... like having Rockstar's Agent project revamped/rebooted by IO Interactive.

There are tons of properties that WB owns the rights to that IO could go crazy on.
 

sinkfla87

Member
I have the first season special edition PS4 version that isn't even open sitting in my room. Should I keep it sealed, will it be worth anything if this goes down? I hear nothing but praise about the game so I bought it but have been too busy to play it :(.
 
Was Shadow of the tomb raider ever actually confirmed? I thought it was a rumor based on something some guy saw in a train.

Even if it was real I would have assumed it got scrapped in favor of Marvel projects once that deal was announced

Nah, I'm pretty sure Kotaku confirmed its existence when the leak happened. And Eidos Montreal has two teams. The Deus Ex team is working on the Marvel game. The other team is working on Tomb Raider.
 
I'm going with Warner.

They've been on the warpath lately, bought Avalanche from Disney to make a Harry Potter game, tried to buy Eidos before Square Enix outbid them in the first place, and if Square Enix wants to keep the IP, Warner wouldn't care as they have so many others they would prefer to put IO on.

Beyond that, ZeniMax/Bethesda likes boutique software (though maybe not anymore after Dishonored 2 and Prey), and Ubisoft needs warm bodies.

They don't seem like the right kind of studio for a Korean or Chinese investment, and they're too expensive for most smaller publishers, yet too irrelevant for the biggest ones.

I wonder if Warner would put them on a DC property now that Marvel is stepping into AAA development.
 

F4r0_Atak

Member
Modern Take-Two isn't a boutique publisher.

What's a boutique publisher? First time I hear this expression. :/

There are tons of properties that WB owns the rights to that IO could go crazy on.

I don't recall many IPs/properties that WB owns that would be well suited for IO experience.

Nah, I'm pretty sure Kotaku confirmed its existence when the leak happened. And Eidos Montreal has two teams. The Deus Ex team is working on the Marvel game. The other team is working on Tomb Raider.

Isn't the other team you are talking about Square Enix Montreal? Last time I went to their office for a playtest, they shared the same floor.
 
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