Hitman might have been sneaking about looking for a way to break into next-gen, but its plan has been foiled.
As reported by VideoGamer, the LinkedIn profile of Square Enix Montreal senior game designer Richard Knight has confirmed the cancelation of a “Hitman Project” that was in conception for PS4 and Xbox One. Not only will it not see the light of day, but it never exited the design phase.
This news comes as particularly surprising given the success of the Hitman series. The latest title, Hitman: Absolution, quickly exceeded the million milestone. Its sales totaling just under two million are considered a noteworthy success for the stealth genre. In contrast, Splinter Cell: Blacklight is yet to break the 750,000 mark.
Instead of a console game, Square Enix Montreal is now working on a mobile Hitman title that is yet to be announced.
Little was known about the next-gen Hitman other than its conception began as early as 2011. All we have left of it is a single piece of concept art seen below:
More than anything, this means that if you’re a fan of Hitman on console or PCs you may not see him until at least 2017 given current development cycles.