Editing IO Interactive (section)

=== Return to ''Hitman'' (2011–2016) ===
In May 2011, IO Interactive and Square Enix announced that they would be returning to the ''Hitman'' franchise through a new entry, ''[[Hitman: Absolution]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/hitman-absolution-officially-announced-for-2012-with-painfully-vague-teaser/ |title=Hitman: Absolution officially announced for 2012 with painfully vague teaser |first=Henry |last=Gilbert |date=11 May 2011 |website=[[GamesRadar+]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612135924/https://www.gamesradar.com/hitman-absolution-officially-announced-for-2012-with-painfully-vague-teaser/ |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/hitman-absolution-announced/ |title=Hitman: Absolution announced |first=Ben |last=Parfitt |date=11 May 2011 |website=[[MCV (magazine)|MCV]] |access-date=22 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190922203508/https://www.mcvuk.com/hitman-absolution-announced/ |archive-date=22 September 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> A spin-off demo, ''[[Hitman: Sniper Challenge]]'', was released in May 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/gaming/2012/5/10/3011757/hitman-absolution-out-november-20-sniper-challenge-announced |title=Hitman: Absolution out November 20, Sniper Challenge announced |first=Emily |last=Gera |date=10 May 2012 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141331/https://www.polygon.com/gaming/2012/5/10/3011757/hitman-absolution-out-november-20-sniper-challenge-announced |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Absolution'' was released in November that year,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-05-10-hitman-absolution-release-date-announced |title=Hitman: Absolution release date announced |first=Wesley |last=Yin-Poole |date=10 May 2012 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612225711/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-05-10-hitman-absolution-release-date-announced |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> and, like ''Blood Money'', saw highly positive reception from critics.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/18/hitman-absolution-review |title=Hitman: Absolution Review |first=Luke |last=Reilly |date=18 November 2012 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143733/https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/18/hitman-absolution-review |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, many fans of the series, including the developers at IO Interactive, felt like ''Absolution'' was leaning too far into the mainstream, as a result of which they were losing their core player base.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/hitman-season-one-looking-back-with-creative-director-christian-elverdam |title=Hitman Season One: Looking Back With Creative Director Christian Elverdam |first=Mike |last=Williams |date=18 March 2017 |website=[[USgamer]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143031/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/hitman-season-one-looking-back-with-creative-director-christian-elverdam |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2012, Square Enix opened a new Copenhagen office under the IO Interactive name.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.dk/articles/2012-02-21-io-aabner-nyt-studie-i-k-benhavn |title=IO åbner nyt studie i København |language=da |trans-title=IO opens new studio in Copenhagen |first=Jesper Krogh |last=Kristiansen |date=21 February 2012 |website=[[Eurogamer.dk]] |access-date=17 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181217154628/https://www.eurogamer.dk/articles/2012-02-21-io-aabner-nyt-studie-i-k-benhavn |archive-date=17 December 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The following March, this new office was announced to be Hapti.co, a [[subsidiary]] studio focused on [[mobile game]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.dk/articles/2012-03-14-spildesign-danmark-nyt-spilstudie-hapti.co-kobenhavn-soeger-mandskab |title=Nyt spilstudie i København søger folk |language=da |trans-title=New gaming studio in Copenhagen is looking for people |first=Kristian |last=West |date=14 March 2012 |website=[[Eurogamer.dk]] |access-date=17 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181217154618/https://www.eurogamer.dk/articles/2012-03-14-spildesign-danmark-nyt-spilstudie-hapti.co-kobenhavn-soeger-mandskab |archive-date=17 December 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Hapti.co was sold to Wargaming Mobile, the mobile games [[Division (business)|division]] of publisher [[Wargaming (company)|Wargaming]], in September 2017, and was renamed as Wargaming Copenhagen.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/wargaming-mobile-acquire-danish-studio-hapti-co/ |title=Wargaming Mobile acquire Danish studio Hapti.co |first=Sean |last=Cleaver |date=8 September 2017 |website=[[MCV (magazine)|MCV]] |access-date=22 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190922203510/https://www.mcvuk.com/wargaming-mobile-acquire-danish-studio-hapti-co/ |archive-date=22 September 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 2013, 70 staff members, half of IO Interactive's workforce at the time, were made redundant due to "internal adjustments to face the challenges of today's market".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-06-17-io-interactive-lays-off-nearly-half-its-staff |title=IO Interactive cancels everything that isn't Hitman, including Kane & Lynch |first=Jeffrey |last=Matulef |date=17 June 2013 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612230241/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-06-17-io-interactive-lays-off-nearly-half-its-staff |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.videogamer.com/news/io-interactive-redundancies-affect-around-70-2 |title=IO Interactive redundancies affect 'around 70' |first=David |last=Scammell |date=25 June 2013 |website=VideoGamer.com |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140325/https://www.videogamer.com/news/io_interactive_redundancies_affect_around_70_2 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Square Enix announced that, from that point on, IO Interactive would exclusively focus on the development of new entries in the ''Hitman'' franchise.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.videogamer.com/news/io-interactive-halves-workforce-will-focus-only-on-hitman-franchise |title=IO Interactive halves workforce, will focus only on Hitman franchise |first=James |last=Orry |date=17 June 2013 |website=VideoGamer.com |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143402/https://www.videogamer.com/news/io_interactive_halves_workforce_will_focus_only_on_hitman_franchise |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> At the same time, Hannes Seifert, who for the past three years had held the position of production director at IO Interactive, took over the company's management as [[studio head]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/6/17/4438534/io-interactive-lays-off-almost-half-its-staff-focusing-on-hitman |title=Io Interactive lays off 'almost half' its staff, focusing on Hitman (update) |first=Colin |last=Campbell |date=17 June 2013 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142709/https://www.polygon.com/2013/6/17/4438534/io-interactive-lays-off-almost-half-its-staff-focusing-on-hitman |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> At a June 2015 [[press conference]], [[Sony]] announced that a new game in the ''Hitman'' series, simply titled ''[[Hitman (2016 video game)|Hitman]]'', had been slated for a December 2015 release.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/16/e3-2015-next-hitman-announced-at-sony-conference |title=E3 2015: Next Hitman Announced at Sony Conference |first=Brian |last=Albert |date=15 June 2015 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612151739/https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/16/e3-2015-next-hitman-announced-at-sony-conference |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> The game was shortly delayed to March 2016,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-09-22-hitman-delayed-until-march-2016 |title=Hitman delayed until March 2016 |first=Jeffrey |last=Matulef |date=22 September 2015 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141925/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-09-22-hitman-delayed-until-march-2016 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> and later announced to be released in an [[Episodic video game|episodic model]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2016/1/14/10770628/hitman-dlc-fully-episodic |title=Hitman changes release structure again, now 'fully episodic' |first=Michael |last=McWhertor |date=14 January 2016 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142445/https://www.polygon.com/2016/1/14/10770628/hitman-dlc-fully-episodic |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> As such, starting in March 2016, the first season for the game was released through six episodes, the last of which was released in October 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vg247.com/2016/10/12/hitman-episode-6-hokkaido-is-the-season-finale-and-out-later-this-month/ |title=Hitman: Episode 6 – Hokkaido is the Season Finale and out later this month |first=Stephany |last=Nunneley |date=12 October 2016 |website=[[VG247]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612145235/https://www.vg247.com/2016/10/12/hitman-episode-6-hokkaido-is-the-season-finale-and-out-later-this-month/ |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Around the same time, Ryan Barnard, previously director of the game ''[[The Division (video game)|The Division]]'', left [[Massive Entertainment]] to join IO Interactive.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-03-21-the-division-director-joins-hitman-developer-io-interactive |title=The Division director joins Hitman developer Io-Interactive |first=Jeffrey |last=Matulef |date=21 March 2016 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612225636/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-03-21-the-division-director-joins-hitman-developer-io-interactive |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> At the time, IO Interactive had 170 employees,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/the-division-director-jumps-ship-to-io-interactive/ |title=The Division director jumps ship to IO Interactive |first=Matthew |last=Jarvis |date=18 March 2016 |website=[[MCV (magazine)|MCV]] |access-date=22 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190922203513/https://www.mcvuk.com/the-division-director-jumps-ship-to-io-interactive/ |archive-date=22 September 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> and was the largest video game developer in Denmark.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.business.dk/digital/japanske-ejere-sparker-benene-vaek-under-dansk-spilgigant |title=Japanske ejere sparker benene væk under dansk spilgigant |language=da |trans-title=Japanese owners kick their legs away under the Danish gaming giant |first=Thomas |last=Breinstrup |date=11 May 2017 |website=[[Berlingske Business]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141143/https://www.business.dk/digital/japanske-ejere-sparker-benene-vaek-under-dansk-spilgigant |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>