Here’s the tweet that set our brain tongues wagging.
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— IO Interactive (@IOInteractive) November 18, 2020
We know they’ve been working on something new for over a year. They are currently hiring for a multiplayer specialist on an unannounced project.
Let’s look at their past form. Maybe that has some answers. They released the excellent third-person shooter Freedom Fighters in 2003, and it was recently re-released on all the major digital storefronts. I’d absolutely love to play a new version of it. It also looks like it’s no longer owned by EA, with IOI listed as the publisher.
In 2007, they made Kane & Lynch: Dead Men and followed it up with Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days in 2010. Both played like conventional cover shooters, but the aesthetics were wild. During the first game, Lynch would hallucinate, turning all the NPCs into the police or dog-masked nightmares. The second game was intense, with jump cuts and glitchy camcorder effects confusing the player. I get the feeling that the series was a labour of love, but that might not be enough for them to return to it.
They also released the surprisingly cute Mini Ninjas in 2009. It was a sweet litle stealth game that I don’t think would be worth returning to in a big way.
If I had to bet, I’d put my money on a multiplayer focussed Freedom Fighters. I think the world is ready for more of that series. Though I wouldn’t mind something new, either.
At least we know that Hitman 3 is out on 20 January 2021.
