Hitman 5 out Xmas 2011 "at the earliest"

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 23 July, 2010

IO hard at work, sources tell us.

Danish developer IO Interactive is hard at work on the next game in the popular Hitman series, Eurogamer has learned.

The PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 title will be released "at the very earliest Christmas next year", one source told us.

The claim was backed up by retail sources, who have indicated to Eurogamer that a release later in 2011 "will be most likely".

Rumour of a fifth game in the stealth-em-up series has been rife since the release of the last Hitman game, 2006's Blood Money.

In June last year Variety reported that a new Hitman film was in the works and contained story elements from Hitman 5, due to be released in late 2010. We know that the reported release date is incorrect.

In June 2009 an IO community manager said: "I can tell you that there is no way we will be basing a storyline for a new Hitman game on the story in a licensed movie. That's just not how we work so you shouldn't be concerned about that."

Earlier this week Hitman 5 posters popped up on the internet, setting fans' tongues wagging.

IO Interactive said the artwork "does not represent any new Hitman game", but we’ve been told they "likely" relate to the game.

The posters have since been removed.

Backing up our source's information is online retailer Play.com, which says Hitman 5 will be released on 28th November 2011.

Play had not responded to Eurogamer at the time of publishing.

In the four years since the release of Hitman 4, IO has put out third-person action game Kane & Lynch and cutesy third-person action game Mini Ninjas. Sequel Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days is due out on 20th August in the UK.

Now the studio is working full throttle on bringing everyone's favourite bald-headed assassin back.

News of a new Hitman game should come as no surprise. The series has sold over seven million copies to date.

Indeed, in 2007 Eidos' then parent company Sci Entertainment said in its annual report: "We have invested significantly in the pipeline of products for 2008 and beyond and we are looking forward with much anticipation to the sequels to Just Cause and Battlestations: Midway, which are already in development, and new versions of world-leading franchises Tomb Raider and Hitman."

And then in 2008 SCi again mentioned the game, saying IO is "already working on a brand-new franchise along with the fifth Hitman game and a sequel to Kane & Lynch".

Square Enix told Eurogamer: "It's flattering to see so many fans are eager for another Hitman game. Unfortunately we have nothing to announce at this time."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (36) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Sir_TimAlot #1 2 years ago

    Awesome! Re-played Blood Money just the other day and was still loving it. More of the same = win

  • Jackface #2 2 years ago

    Hitman is so awesome. I hope they stick to their guns in terms of the depth of the game and don't try for field-levelling 'accessibility' as that's arguably what messed up a lot of sequels of historically fantastic games recently.

  • Markusdragon #3 2 years ago

    Well, that's a lot nicer than 'does not comment on rumour or speculation'. Sort of a 'We can't tell you yet, but thanks for asking.'

  • UncleLou #4 2 years ago

    Awesome.

    "Blood Money" is an absolute masterpiece in level design, remarkable game, and the pinnacle of the series. I really hope the new Deus Ex has learned a thing or two from IO how you can offer multiple solutions to the player that go beyond hack door/break door/crawl through conveniently placed ventilation shaft.

  • EthanWoods #5 2 years ago

    @designerheadache

    I take it you've tried Blood Money? That's the best one - if you've already got to the level where you can dress up as Santa and you're still not liking it, there may be something seriously wrong with you. I will say that the game's better when you play it the second time, because it's easier to see how different things in the environment can be used to kill a target quietly.

  • DreadedWalrus #6 2 years ago

    So long as the game is more influenced by Blood Money and less by the film, it's all good.

  • UncleLou #7 2 years ago

    I agree with EW - Blood Money is the best of the series, and don't get fooled by the demo. The level in the demo is criminally misleading.

  • Alf-Life #8 2 years ago

    I bloody love Hitman, and Blood Money was my favourite so far.

    That said, a bald clone character isn't as involving or cool as characters like Kane & Lynch and in fact he looks like a very dated 10 year old videogame star. I wouldn't mind them rebooting the franchise with a new, better character... and Eidos need not worry, Agent 47 is cool but isn't the reason people buy the Hitman games (they buy them for their gameplay and [game and level] design).

  • Alf-Life #9 2 years ago

    @designerheadache

    Dunno, maybe you're playing it as a shooter - the key is when you try to play only by making 1 kill - the Target. Or maybe it's just not for you, forget it and move on. :)

  • azazel_fallenangel #10 2 years ago

    Blood money is the only one I haven't so gar played. Will have to track it down on PS2 now, as getting all nostalgic for that great feeling of walking away from a kill like nothing ever happened, while everyones panicking looking for you.

  • andywilkie35 #11 2 years ago

    I want it now!

    Great news, was playing the Kane and Lynch 2 demo the other night and wondered when they were gonna drop that shit and pick up Hitman again.

  • DreadedWalrus #12 2 years ago

    @azazel_fallenangel Blood Money is definitely the best yet (IMO anyway). It's almost got a "Stealth puzzle" feel to it, in that each level pretty much has one (or multiple) "clean" ways of doing the level. You can pretty much go through the whole game making every death look accidental so that noone, throughout the whole game, suspects a thing. If you like doing that kind of thing in Hitman games, Blood Money will be perfect for you.
    Dunno what the last-gen version is like, though.

  • Monkey_Puncher #13 2 years ago

    2011? :(

    Can't wait that long!

    nice to hear they are working on it though.

  • glaeken #14 2 years ago

    I think the key thing to the Hitman games is they are not shooters. In fact if you use a gun on a mission it's normally because you screwed up. I look on them as an adventure/puzzle game hybrid.

  • dingo75 #15 2 years ago

    Play.com often puts upcoming games in with a guessed / random release date so people can pre-order already.
    They had "Elite 4" for years in the system always pushing it forwards for 6-12 months.
    Edited by 1 at 23/07/10 @ 14:05

  • rotmm #16 2 years ago

    @azazel_fallenangel,< br />
    To really get the most from Blood Money, you have to play it on either the PC or 360. It isn't bad for a PS2 game, but being a PS2 game lots of detail is lost and NPC count is reduced.

    I bought it on the PS2 and enjoyed it, but picked it up cheap on the 360 a couple of years later and it was like playing a different game.

  • Luckz #17 2 years ago

    Yeah all online stores, especially Zavvi and Play, just set entirely random potential dates.

  • darkmorgado #18 2 years ago

    @Superet

    Best way for the theater mission is to swap the actor's fake gun with a real one and plant a bomb on the chandelier after climbing through the rigging. During the performance, your first target will be killed and the other guy comes running towards the stage. Detonate the bomb and the chandelier will crush him dead. That's how you get the "accident" award for that stage

  • rudedudejude #19 2 years ago

    Blood money was great, except the final level bit was impossible on the hardest difficult setting.

  • Pastici #20 2 years ago

    Fuck Hitman, I want a new Freedom Fighters!

  • darkmorgado #21 2 years ago

    @porkloin

    If I remember correctly it involves dressing up as hotel staff and I think you can poison him. Alternatively, I believe you can use a sniper rifle from a balcony on the outside of the building.

  • bratmandu #22 2 years ago

    Life is a little better knowing a new hitman game is on the way. Hurry up IO, I NEED IT TO LIVE!

    ** EDIT Exactly 47 posts on this article - spooky.
    Edited by 1 at 30/07/10 @ 11:02

  • Scientist #23 2 years ago

    "First there was Menace. Now Psygnosis presents a DMA Design game...Blood Money!"

    The original and best Blood Money.

    http://ww w.youtube.com/watch?v=t98K3reeq...

  • Soton4084 #24 2 years ago

    Cannot wait! I wish they'd port Blood Money to the PS3! It's one of those games that make me regret trading in my 360!

  • Gromit #25 2 years ago

    I don't know if the pc version had as many bugs as the 360 version or not. At least they've got the time to get the new game more polished this time.

    Blood Money on the 360 and the two last gen GTA games were so full of bugs but somehow it didn't put me off.

  • Vin #26 2 years ago

    "Earliest" meaning Summer 2012.

    We'll all be dead by then.

  • azazel_fallenangel #27 2 years ago

    @rotmm

    Unfortunatly the PC barely played contracts(mostly use my works laptop tbh, and I think they'd be a bit annoyed if I fill the hard-drive with a high res game), and I don't own a 360. PS3 at mine and a PS2 at the missus'. But hearing that the NPC count is reduced put's me off the PS2 version then, just thought it's be graphics, not gameplay that suffered. Might have to take my mate up on his old 360 since he has a new one. Could play Gears too then...
    Now how to explain to the girlfriend...

    Edit: Actually, why have they not brought it to PS3? Why just 360 if it was on PS2 anyway?
    Edited by 1 at 23/07/10 @ 17:00

  • Natas_Enasni #28 2 years ago

    *Schoolgirl squeal!*

  • Harmonica #29 2 years ago

    "The claim was backed up by retail sources"

    So the developer's comment is a claim, the retailers commentry is counted as backing it up? Er.

    But yeah, sadly a long way off. Hitman is probably a stronger series than K&L will ever be (though Mini Ninjas is pretty damn awesome), but I guess Io just got bored of cranking them out.

    I hope they allow a little more freedom and less trial-and-error in Hitman 5.

  • DAN.E.B #30 2 years ago

    great news IO please dont do an Ubisoft!

  • TadejVig #31 2 years ago

    Oh god yes finally !!!

    Can't wait for it, Hitman Blood Money was one of the best games ever, all the possibilities, free roaming, so many ways to kill... It was epic. As many said before, hope it doesnt get dumbed down into an action game like Splinter Cell Conviction.

  • Davemanz #32 2 years ago

    @porkloin

    IIRC correctly the casino mission involves strangling the German guy in the elevator, posing as him so you can walk into the hotel meeting room, where you kill the other target, and use his phone to call the Arab guy so he steps out and you can snipe him.

    Fuck, now I want to play that mission some more. Glad I picked it up on Steam when it was on sale; I always come back to Blood Money. If my PC can run H5 I have to buy it on Steam. It's the only way to play the franchise.

  • Jackface #33 2 years ago

    @Alf-Life

    I don't think I'd like the removal of Agent 47 at all. He may be a bald clone but he's got plenty of character and IIRC some of the game plots have been to do with his career longevity.

  • godofpwnage87 #34 2 years ago

    Christmas 2011 at the earliest!!!

    If they weren't pissing around making kane ad lynch games no one wants hit man 6 could be out by now!

  • Sir_TimAlot #35 2 years ago

    for the casino mission i take my sniper rifle with me, kill the 2 dudes by strangling them from above the elevators, take their key cards, head to the top floor, pull the fire alarm, head into the sheiks room, use redial on the phone and when he moves outside to answer his mobile snipe him from the balcony SO GOOD

  • Verwandlung #36 2 years ago

    Need way more Hitman need way less Hitman 'movie' (ugh tripe).

  • shawnlee100 #37 1 year ago

    for the casino mission i take my sniper rifle with me, kill the 2 dudes by strangling them from above the elevators, take their key cards, head to the top floor, pull the fire alarm, head into the sheiks room, use redial on the phone and when he moves outside to answer his mobile snipe him from the balcony SO GOOD
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