Editing IO Interactive (section)

=== ''Hitman: Codename 47'' (1998–2000) ===
Early on, IO Interactive conceptualised a fantasy [[massively multiplayer online game]] (MMO) entitled ''Rex Dominus'', however, Nordisk Film staff asked the development team to cease production on ''Rex Dominus'' and "test [themselves]" by developing a "simple shooter" instead.<ref name="Retro Gamer">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/retro-gamer/20180517/281681140513757 |title=The Making Of: Hitman: Codename 47 |first=Edward |last=Love |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |issue=181 |date=17 May 2018 |publisher=[[Future Publishing]] |pages=86–89 |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143534/https://www.pressreader.com/uk/retro-gamer/20180517/281681140513757 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> As such, the team opted for a [[Run and gun (video gaming)|run-and-gun]] [[action game]], as it took less time to develop compared to an MMO, drawing inspiration from [[John Woo]] films, such as ''[[Hard Boiled]]'' and ''[[The Killer (1989 film)|The Killer]]''.<ref name="Retro Gamer" /> They turned to develop for [[personal computer]]s (PCs), because they were unable to acquire [[Game development kit|development kit]]s for [[Video game console|consoles]], and had also found interest in the steady increase of PCs' [[3D computer graphics|3D graphics]] capabilities.<ref name="Retro Gamer" />

A part of the development on the game, which would later become ''[[Hitman: Codename 47]]'', was the creation of the Glacier, the studio's proprietary [[game engine]] that fit their needs; co-founder Andersen stated: "Since killing was the main theme of the game, we wanted to do something special. [...] Standard 'death animations' just looked too static so some of the coders tried to see if they could use real-time [[inverse kinematics]] for the falling bodies. The first versions ran terribly slowly until one of the programmers figured out a way to fake the whole calculation."<ref name="Retro Gamer" /> This led to the first use of advanced [[ragdoll physics]] in a video game.<ref name="Retro Gamer" /> This physics system caught the eyes of British publisher [[Eidos Interactive]], and especially staff member [[Jonas Eneroth]], who thought that the system could greatly benefit ''Codename 47''{{'s}} gameplay.<ref name="Retro Gamer" /> Following six months of negotiations, a publishing deal was signed between IO Interactive and Eidos Interactive.<ref name="IGN">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/19/killing-them-softly-the-hitman-story-part-1 |title=Killing Them Softly: The Hitman Story, Part 1 |first=Luke |last=Reilly |date=18 February 2013 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144028/https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/19/killing-them-softly-the-hitman-story-part-1 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Eneroth became [[executive producer]] on the project.<ref name="Retro Gamer" />

As executive producer, Eneroth encouraged the development team to stray away from the run-and-gun gameplay, and instead focus on a "methodical experience", including dragging dead bodies around the scene to create tension.<ref name="Retro Gamer" /> He had previously worked on ''[[Deus Ex (video game)|Deus Ex]]'' and ''[[Thief: The Dark Project]]'', which had heavily exposed him to the [[stealth game]] mechanics he wished to see in ''Codename 47''.<ref name="Retro Gamer" /> The game was released on 19 November 2000,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/10/01/ign-presents-the-history-of-hitman |title=IGN Presents: The History of Hitman |first=Rus |last=McLaughlin |date=1 October 2012 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141934/https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/10/01/ign-presents-the-history-of-hitman |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> with reception mixed due to the difficulty of the game.<ref name="Retro Gamer" />