Square Enix has announced in a note to its investors that it is parting ways with Hitman creator, IO Interactive.

The two companies merged following Square Enix's acquisition of Eidos Interactive, IO Interactive's parent company, in 2009. The official statement regarding the split up reads that in order “to maximize player satisfaction as well as market potential going forward”, SE has “regrettably decided to withdraw from the business of IO INTERACTIVE”. It further adds that “as a result of this the Company started discussions with potential new investors and is currently in negotiations to secure this investment”.

The news spell an unclear future for the Danish dev team well as for their franchises, including Hitman. The latter's IP ownership is likely to be kept by Square Enix following the success of its latest instalment.

You can read the full statement in the source file below:

SOURCE

 

[_Chaz_]

Take the IPs and discard the talent.
Classic Square-Enix.

 

[FAST6191]

Take the IPs and discard the talent.
Classic Square-Enix.

Just Square Enix? EA, Ubisoft, THQ, Activision, Capcom, Namco, Sega, Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo... basically every publisher that is big today or was big at some point seems to do this.

 

[tech3475]

My guess is that Hitman underperformed by SE's standards.

Given how they initially sold the game, I'm not too surprised.

 

[Deleted User]

I was expecting it, not this soon however.

 

[AmandaRose]

Just Square Enix? EA, Ubisoft, THQ, Activision, Capcom, Namco, Sega, Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo... basically every publisher that is big today or was big at some point seems to do this.

Please give one example when Nintendo has done this?? Because I can't think of any

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

Was this because of the episodic Telltale-y Hitman game sales doing bad? IO Interactive wasn't at fault here, they used to make full Hitman games so Square Enix shouldn't have punished them.

 

[AmandaRose]

Was this because of the episodic Telltale-y Hitman game sales doing bad? IO Interactive wasn't at fault here, they used to make full Hitman games so Square Enix shouldn't have punished them.

Yes it never sold in the numbers they where looking to do and also IO Interactive made a loss of 4,898 million yen last year when every other Square Enix studio made huge profits.

 

[raulpica]

I rejoiced when I first read the news as I thought they were leaving with the Hitman IP, but it looks like SE will keep it. Dammit, this is real bad news. I'm a big fan of IO and their Hitman games. I'm sure they'll suck from now on.

They'll probably replace 47 with some spiky-haired bishounen prince, ew.

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

Yes it never sold in the numbers they where looking to do and also IO Interactive made a loss of 4,898 million yen last year when every other Square Enix studio made huge profits.

Sigh. Hitman shouldn't have been turned into a Telltale-type game and ultimately IOI was trashed as sales didn't meet Square Enix expectations.

They'll probably replace 47 with some spiky-haired bishounen prince, ew.

They'll probably go with this cheap arsey looking Hitman:

 

[Prans]

They'll probably replace 47 with some spiky-haired bishounen prince, ew.

Now I'm genuinely curious as to how this will turn out...

 

[AmandaRose]

With the debts IO Interactive have they are fucked nobody is going to buy them with that amount of debt and Square Enix have already said they will be shut down if a buyer is not found soon.

 

[eduall]

Just Square Enix? EA, Ubisoft, THQ, Activision, Capcom, Namco, Sega, Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo... basically every publisher that is big today or was big at some point seems to do this.

nintendo but with 1 game

 

[emmauss]

The two companies merged following Square Enix's acquisition of Edios Interactive, IO Interactive's parent company, in 2009.

you got "Eidos" wrong here

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

nintendo but with 1 game

what game was that?

 

[Prans]

you got "Eidos" wrong here

Thanks! And fixed!

 

[FAST6191]

Please give one example when Nintendo has done this?? Because I can't think of any

You reckon their treatment and handling of Rare was a shining example of business done right?

 

[codezer0]

Oh great, now square will turn agent 47 into some whiny animu otaku twit while blasting j-pop from branded headphones in some nonsensical fantasy world, feature as a guest star in whenever the loving hell square decides to actually release kingdom hearts, or give him a bit role in the next final fantasy as a dlc character.

 

[AmandaRose]

You reckon their treatment and handling of Rare was a shining example of business done right?

They handled rare fine upto the day the European Union gave nintendo a record fine of 149 million euros for price fixing in Europe and only 14 days to pay it then Microsoft came sniffing round a few days later knowing fine well nintendo needed a quick way of getting money. Nintendo had no other option but to sell rare to them. They at the time had no other way of getting 149 mill in such a short time. Once the European Union knew about the deal they extended the 14 day deadline so as the deal to sell rare to Microsoft could be completed. Also in my opinion it's Microsoft that has destroyed Rare not nintendo

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-02-1584_en.htm?locale=en

 

[FAST6191]

That set of circumstances was news to me.
The conditions within Rare during Nintendo's tenure however was not

Oh great, now square will turn agent 47 into some whiny animu otaku twit while blasting j-pop from branded headphones in some nonsensical fantasy world, feature as a guest star in whenever the loving hell square decides to actually release kingdom hearts, or give him a bit role in the next final fantasy as a dlc character.

In before the No More Heroes peeps sue for copyright infringement?

 

[eriol33]

spiritual sequel is coming!

I can imagine it will happen to Eidos too, maybe deus ex should be dead and eidos can make a spiritual sequel.