Hitman is a stealth video game franchise developed by Danish developer IO Interactive, and previously published by Eidos Interactive and Square Enix. IO Interactive remained a subsidiary of Square Enix until 2017, when Square Enix started seeking buyers for the studio. IO Interactive completed a management buyout, regaining their independent status and retaining the rights for Hitman, in June 2017.[1] The games are available for macOS, Linux, Microsoft Windows and multiple consoles, including the PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and Stadia with the spin-off games also being available on mobile devices including Android, iOS and Windows Phone.
The series started with 2000’s Hitman: Codename 47, and has featured eight main games in total, the most recent being Hitman 3, released January 2021. Main games in the Hitman series are set in semi-open world environments and played from the third-person perspective, though some games also include an option for first-person. Gameplay revolves around assassinating various targets, with players being given the freedom to complete their objectives in whichever manner they wish; however, most of the time, a stealth approach is recommended. Players can make use of a variety of skills and tools to traverse each level undetected, such as taking disguises, using suppressed weaponry to eliminate guards, or simply hiding in plain sight.
The series’ main protagonist and playable character is Agent 47, the eponymous hitman, who works for the fictional International Contract Agency (ICA). Originating as a clone who was genetically-engineered to maintain peak human physicality and intelligence, be easy to control, and display a cold and monotone personality, 47 is regarded as the best assassin in the world. Although most of the Hitman games feature standalone narratives, there are several story arcs that span multiple games in the series, and each entry so far has been connected, even if loosely, to previous ones, creating a sense of continuity. Most of the storylines revolve around 47 gradually unravelling and subsequently stopping a major conspiracy, while also developing his mysterious background, humane side, and relationships with various recurring characters.
The main games in the Hitman franchise have received generally positive reviews for their level design and gameplay elements, in particular the level of freedom offered to players and the unique approach to stealth gameplay. The series has received multiple awards and nominations, including several Game of the Year awards. It has also been commercially successful, selling over 15 million copies worldwide as of 2015[2] with the World of Assassination trilogy alone reaching over 50 million players as of November 2021.[3] It has become IO Interactive’s flagship franchise. Outside of the eight mainline releases, the Hitman franchise also includes three spin-off games, two novels, and a comic book miniseries. The series has also received two live-action film adaptations, Hitman (2007) and Hitman: Agent 47 (2015), both of which share no narrative connections with the games and have been negatively received.