Who could have predicted that such a methodical game about a deadly barcoded assassin with seemingly unlimited fashion choices would spark one of the most recognizable franchises in gaming history?

Looking back over the past 25 years, the team at IO Interactive has every reason to feel proud. While many franchises that debuted in 2000, including Perfect Dark, SSX, Deus Ex, Jet Set Radio, and others, simply faded or stalled, Hitman not only survived but evolved into one of gaming’s most enduring and adaptable worlds.

Sitting on top of the world

“Sort of on top of the world,” said senior game designer Eskil Mohl when asked to describe the studio’s current era. “It’s a surprise to a lot of us that this has grown this big.” Sitting beside him, writer Jen Simpkins added that joining IOI during this milestone year feels like walking into a studio still hungry for ideas. “Hitman is so on top of the world still. We’re in an era where we can be more creative than ever and experiment. That’s what our team thrives on.”

That creative surge is visible in the continually expanding Hitman: World of Assassination, a live platform that has welcomed massive collaborations, genre-bending contracts, and an ongoing flow of seasonal content; all without losing its identity. Most recently, the “Eminem vs. Slim Shady” Elusive Target event, a surreal yet tonally perfect crossover that brings the rap icon and his alter ego into the Hitman universe.

Mohl recalls that even the recording sessions caught seasoned developers off guard. “Hearing his voice actually in the level was like, okay, that’s a big deal.” Simpkins noted that both David Bateson (Agent 47) and Jane Perry (Diana) had the same stunned reaction.

What made the collaboration work, according to Simpkins, was the unexpected alignment in tone. “There’s a lot of crossover between Eminem and Hitman, so both brands offer humor but also moments of real darkness,” she said. “It actually makes sense when you think about it.” Honoring Slim Shady as something closer to an established persona rather than a fictional character required deeper collaboration. “We worked closely with him and his team to make sure we were being true to the character,” she explained. “That was a real privilege.”

The Eminem mission is only one example of how World of Assassination has embraced a bold new celebrity-centric format. Before him came Bruce Lee. Before Lee came Le Chiffre from Casino Royale, played once again by Mads Mikkelsen. That collaboration became one of the clearest bridges between Hitman and IOI’s upcoming James Bond game, 007 First Light. Mohl described the experience of watching Mikkelsen step back into the role in the recording booth.

“He really wanted to be Le Chiffre again,” he said. “Hearing him totally go into character, he hadn’t forgotten anything.” The crossover also gave players unlockable bonuses that will carry into 007 First Light, creating a trans-franchise moment rarely seen in modern AAA development.

Milla Jovovich’s ‘Patient Zero: Requiem’ and the co-op future of Hitman

The growing roster now includes action actress Milla Jovovich as Lilith Devereux, star of the upcoming Patient Zero: Requiem contract set for release in February of next year. For Simpkins, her tone fits the series perfectly. “Hitman can be serious and also have moments of real levity,” she said. “We’re going to be able to capture all of that about Milla.” Just watching her on stage, she said, the team immediately saw how she could expand the series’ playfulness and danger in equal measure.

IO Interactive’s ability to pivot between moods, genres, and styles is what keeps Hitman fresh after over two decades. Every contract introduces a new lens on the sandbox, and internally, developers treat each addition like a kaleidoscope. “You just turn it slightly, and something else reveals itself,” said Mohl. Simpkins also added that every new character unlocks a new angle, a new mechanic, a new synergy inside the systemic playground that defines the series. “You bring in a new person, and suddenly there’s a new angle. We’re consistently surprised by what the world of assassination is capable of,” she explained.

That world is about to evolve even more radically with co-op, one of the most requested features in franchise history, which was revealed during their Summer Game Fest presentation this year. While details still remain sealed, Mohl hinted that the team was startled at how well the experiment worked. “We’ve been thinking about co-op for years,” said Mohl. “But it’s weirdly exponentially more fun than we expected.”

Simpkins even sees it as a storytelling breakthrough as well. “These little stories already happen through systemics as NPCs react,” she said. “Add another player, and suddenly players are creating their own stories together through their interactions. I can’t wait to see that chaos.”

If Hitman began life as a series about precision and quiet brutality, its modern form through World of Assassination is something richer: a living stage where player creativity, celebrity mythmaking, and systemic chaos meet. And as IOI prepares to expand its universe into the world of Bond while deepening the sandbox of 47, the next 25 years look even more unpredictable in the best possible way.

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Ural Garrett is an Inglewood, CA-based journalist and content curator. His byline has been featured in outlets including CNN, MTVNews, Complex, TechRadar, BET, The Hollywood Reporter and more.