Gameitall 
IO Interactive and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment have reached a worldwide publishing and distribution agreement for the Hitman series. Part of this agreement will be a re-launch of the latest Hitman series, which originally launched as an episodic game, in a new Hitman: Definitive Edition, which will hit retail for PS4 and Xbox one on May 18th 2018.
For those who haven’t been in the loop of what has been going on with IO and the Hitman series, here is a quick recap. Early last year, Square Enix decided to drop IO from their group of developers that were previously owned by Eidos, with this IO Interactive became their own independent studio and were allowed to keep their properties including the Hitman series.
Yesterday it was announced that WBIE would be taking over the publishing rights to the series, with the first move being a re-release of the game’s first season with additional content from IO Interactive’s library to titles including Freedom Fighters, Kane & Lynch and Mini Ninjas, to celebrate the studio’s 20th anniversary.
“We’re very excited to be working with IO Interactive, a talented studio with a long-standing legacy creating the iconic HITMAN™ games,” said David Haddad, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “The passionate, global HITMAN™ community has embraced the recent return of the series, and we’re thrilled to bring the HITMAN™: Definitive Edition to fans and new players next month.”
“We’re super excited to be working with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment on HITMAN™ and together releasing the HITMAN™: Definitive Edition to new players,” said Hakan Abrak, CEO IO Interactive. “Working with a partner like WBIE means that the team at IOI can stay focused on what we’re good at, making games.”
The Definitive Edition of Hitman will include the following:
- IO Interactive’s 20th Anniversary Outfit Bundle – Three new outfits inspired by Freedom Fighters, Kane & Lynch and Mini Ninjas
- HITMAN™ Season One (Main Game) – Seven exotic locations from the first season, including Paris, Sapienza, Marrakesh, Bangkok, Colorado and Hokkaido, along with the ICA Facility
- HITMAN™ Game of the Year Edition Content – Four missions from the Patient Zero Campaign, three themed Escalation Contracts that unlock three unique weapons, as well as the Clown Suit, Cowboy Suit and Raven Suit from the recent Game of the Year digital release
- HITMAN™ Summer Bonus Episode – Featuring ICA bonus missions in Sapienza and Marrakesh
- HITMAN™: Blood Money Requiem Pack – Including the Requiem Suit, Pale Duck Explosive and ICA Chrome Pistol
- All featured Contracts, Escalation Contracts, Challenge Packs and game updates from HITMAN™ Season One and the HITMAN™ Game of the Year Edition
WB also confirmed that the a portion of the add-on content will not be pre-loaded on the Hitman: Definitive Edition’s disc with additional content ranging between 12-24GB depending on the platform, also the Elusive Targets that have ended may not be available again as they were timed limited events.
