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 impressive player count encompasses both those who downloaded the free starter pack and those who experienced the game via Xbox Game Pass during its two-year tenure on the service. This achievement solidifies Hitman: World of Assassination as arguably IO Interactive's most successful title to date.

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 cleverly bundled the three titles into one package, while still offering individual game 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 specific breakdown of player contributions from each game wasn't provided, Hitman 3 is likely a significant contributor, given its strong sales performance in key markets like the UK, exceeding its predecessor's success.

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 (until January 2024) and the readily accessible free starter pack offered since the game's 2021 launch. Free demos for the first two trilogy entries also significantly boosted player acquisition.

Hitman Franchise on Hiatus: Future Projects Take Center Stage

While Hitman: World of Assassination continues to receive regular content updates (primarily Elusive Targets), IO Interactive's current focus lies elsewhere. The studio is actively developing 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. This indicates a temporary, but significant, shift away from the Hitman franchise for now.