IO Interactive and publisher Square Enix parted ways, leaving the studio to fend for itself in the wilds of a hostile gaming industry. IO Interactive survived, finding funding that would secure a second season of Hitman. Perhaps Square Enix was unfairly painted as the villain in this story, as Hitman was a success both critically and financially. What gives? Why would the publisher give up on the Hitman business?

Streaming service Hulu are working with John Wick creator Derek Kolstad to bring IO Interactive's Hitman franchise to the small screen. They're hoping Agent 47 will headline a flagship series for the network, so let's hope in turn that it's far better than the movies we've seen based on the franchise.

With Square Enix almost managing to fatally garrotte Hitman developer IO Interactive when they dumped the studio, it looked like the continued adventures of Agent 47 would grind to a halt. A reborn episodic series had managed to create a stellar sandbox of stealth and murder, while also building a story that was meant to last across several seasons of action and intrigue. IO Interactive bounced back however, secured their independence and got to work on a second season of Hitman. A second season that is now truly official.

There will be some redemption for anyone who missed out on taking down an Elusive Target the first time around in Hitman. These timed assassinations will be “re-activated”, allowing players another crack at some of the most wanted men and women on the planet.

While Hitman’s episodic approach was a concept done right, the entire package and its assorted episodes were already collected into retail edition that included all content that had been released to fans up to that point. IO Interactive is doing just that again with an obligatory game of the year edition. Only y’know, it actually deserves that title. Here’s a trailer for the Hitman highlight reel of mayhem and murder.

If you haven’t had a chance yet to try it out, then Hitman is utterly magnificent. Six episodes of intrigue, espionage and death that gives players so many tools with which to accomplish their objectives. Besides the aforementioned episodes and a few bonus adventures, Hitman’s primary content is pretty much done and dusted. Or is it? Because IO Interactive is teasing something new for October 24.

Let’s say that you’re a video game publisher. Between meetings where you figure out how to shoehorn loot boxes into your game and a slideshow on how much you can charge for attack pants DLC, you’ve also got to manage the various studios under your brand. Studios who deliver outstanding work, that has begun building an audience and yet haven’t met your ludicrously high sales targets. Can’t win them all, hey? Bugger that, cut the studio from your fat and roll on. That’s exactly what Square Enix did this year, as the publisher decided to part ways with IO Interactive and the Hitman franchise.

This Friday marks the end of the line for the first season of Hitman and its most infamous contracts in this feature. The Entertainer is the codename of the latest mark, with Agent 47 plying his lethal trade in Marrakesh’s night-time level, a House of Sand. It’s a challenging level, one that keeps the majority of its stealth and sneaky slaying to the Hookah cafe and the alleyways around it.