Square Enix are selling Hitman developer IO

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Square Enix have announced they are looking for a buyer for IO Interactive, the development team behind the Hitman series.

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by Liam Andrews

@pass_controller

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The Japanese publisher/developer announced the news in a note to investors, where it outlined that the company was looking at an “extraordinary loss” for the fiscal year ending 31 March 2017. Square Enix are said to be looking at losses of 4,898 million yen, or roughly £33 million, which lead them to “regrettably decide” to put IO Interactive on the market.

According to the note, Square Enix have already entered discussions with potential new investors, but said there are “no guarantees that negotiations will be concluded successfully”, leaving the future of Hitman and IO in some doubt.
 
Hitman isn’t the only franchise under operating under Square Enix’s umbrella to have its future cast into doubt after Mankind Divided’s less than stellar sales numbers led to the Deus Ex series being put on hold while Square Enix focusses on other projects, such as a new Tomb Raider and an unnamed Avengers game.
 
What do you think this means for the future of Hitman? Let us know in the comments.

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