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[Nirolak]

What's a boutique publisher? First time I hear this expression. :/



I don't recall many IPs/proterties that WB owns that would be well suited for IO experience.

Boutique publishers make niche games for underserved audiences.

It's a way some mid-tier publishers try to stand out.

Hitman isn't a series that's going to sell 4-5+ million copies an entry in all likelihood, so it's seen as a niche audience title on the modern Western AAA scale.

 

[xrnzaaas]

Didn't resident evil revelations 2 do good? Then again it was a weekly release.

And Life is Strange. Also a Square Enix published game.

 

[Ross61]

What's a boutique publisher? First time I hear this expression. :/



I don't recall many IPs/proterties that WB owns that would be well suited for IO experience.

There are tons of possibles just within DC for christ sake lol.

 

[Aangster]

As much as I hope IO and the Hitman IP are sold as a package, I just doubt it would happen. Companies aren't keen on just giving up IPs.



IO absolutely confirmed Season 2 was happening.

https://www.destructoid.com/hitman-season-2-is-officially-in-the-works-397435.phtml

I'm aware individual IO devs confirmed Season 2 late last year, my point was that neither IO press releases nor Square's official channels made announcements. I found that surprising given Hitman's episodic nature and the intention to work towards a final (?) Season 3. Thinking about what's recently transpired just makes me angry.

 

[Bishop89]

This seems unexpected.

 

[serenewarfare]

I don't recall many IPs/proterties that WB owns that would be well suited for IO experience.



Isn't the other team you are talking about Square Enix Montreal? Last time I went to their office for a playtest, they shared the same floor.

WB has the rights to every DC character ever. I'm sure they could find something that fits IO's strengths if they wanted to.

As far as the studio goes, I'm not sure. I'm just repeating the info I've collected on the situation.

 

[Talladega Knight]

Pull the trigger Nintendo. And then put them to work on an update of one of your old IPs, perhaps Mach Rider.

Because why not.

 

[NumberThree]

I hope they find a good home.

 

[duckroll]

I don't recall many IPs/properties that WB owns that would be well suited for IO experience.

Still waiting for that dream Inception game here. No pun intended.

 

[F4r0_Atak]

Boutique publishers make niche games for underserved audiences.

It's a way some mid-tier publishers try to stand out.

Hitman isn't a series that's going to sell 4-5+ million copies an entry in all likelihood, so it's seen as a niche audience title on the modern Western AAA scale.

Could we consider SIE to be to some extent a boutique publisher? XD

With games like Gravity Rush and Tearaway being prime examples of niche games for underserved audiences.

 

[Stoze]

Damn. I wish all the devs the best, hopefully everything turns out okay. I'm still really looking forward to season 2.

It's also really disappointing how much worse it sold than Absolution, I mean jesus.

 

[Soph]

Paradox time to buy up some studios!

 

[duckroll]

Could we consider SIE to be to some extent a boutique publisher? XD

With games like Gravity Rush and Tearaway being prime examples of niche games for underserved audiences.

First parties by nature have the tendencies of boutique publishers simply because it benefits them to invest in underserved niches on their own platform to attract the widest possible audience to the hardware. Sony does this. Nintendo does this. Microsoft tries to do this but everything keeps getting cancelled these days.

 

[Fabtacular]

With the talk of MS investing more heavily in first-party studios, IO might be a good fit.

Considering the (apparently) lackluster financial performance of Hitman, I'm not sure the acquisition makes sense for anyone else.

Would be interesting to see what IO could do in terms of taking the tools and techniques developed during the making of Hitman, and developing them further with a story/theme that's not Hitman.

 

[RetroDLC]

WB has the rights to every DC character ever. I'm sure they could find something that fits IO's strengths if they wanted to.

As far as the studio goes, I'm not sure. I'm just repeating the info I've collected on the situation.

Deadshot would be perfect.

 

[Crazymoogle]

I'd be shocked if IOI is sold without Hitman.

This isn't Bioware, where there is another studio in the same office space, or THQ, where there was multiple IPs and a huge amount of local talent to buy out. Copenhagen is strategically isolated by comparison. If they sell the studio, its to sell it as a "Hitman Maker" location.

Without the IP, why spend? Cheaper to just launch a new studio in the same location or buy out the office space and furniture.

Isn't the other team you are talking about Square Enix Montreal? Last time I went to their office for a playtest, they shared the same floor.

No. SQEM is a mobile only studio. Virtually all of their console Developers left for Eidos or elsewhere. They share space with Eidos sometimes.

 

[DJIzana]

So... time for Square to double down on their own Japanese IP's then or bring back Sleeping Dogs, create more new IP?

Or... could it possibly be time to bring Chrono, Tactics or Mana back to consoles?

Spoiler

I'll stop dreaming

 

[peppers]

Unpleasant news.
Out of curiosity, does IO own the Glacier engine?

 

[Jintor]

For comparison:

Hitman Absolution: Owners: 3,020,229 ± 50,168
Hitman: Owners: 631,227 ± 23,003

Hitman Absolution also shipped 3.6 million in a few months whereas presumably Hitman is no where near that.

Jesus.

Put out a masterpiece game with deep thought and the market just savages you. Grindhouse latex nuns tho

 

[F4r0_Atak]

First parties by nature have the tendencies of boutique publishers simply because it benefits them to invest in underserved niches on their own platform to attract the widest possible audience to the hardware. Sony does this. Nintendo does this. Microsoft tries to do this but everything keeps getting cancelled these days.

Ah ok.

WB has the rights to every DC character ever. I'm sure they could find something that fits IO's strengths if they wanted to.

As far as the studio goes, I'm not sure. I'm just repeating the info I've collected on the situation.

Is there a difference between having access to a character and having access to the actual property based around that character? (Superman for example. Pretty sure the last Superman game to have been published was by EA)

 

[KonradLaw]

There's no way SE thinks it will be able i sell iO without including Hitman IP as part of that deal.

 

[Lakitu]

Fuck sake. Can't anything go well. I was really really looking forward to Season 2.

 

[xrnzaaas]

Jesus.

Put out a masterpiece game with deep thought and the market just savages you

Remember that this is the lifetime sales number. Absolution is almost five years old, it was on many sales on Steam for almost nothing and also in plenty of humble bundles. That probably accounts for a lot of owners. As for the number of copies shipped, both games had very different sales models. Hitman 2016 didn't get a retail release until a year later.

Of course 600 thousand owners for Hitman '16 on PC is not a good number (the episodic structure clearly wasn't a good idea in terms for making the game profitable), but I wouldn't compare it just like that with Absolution.

 

[serenewarfare]

Is there a difference between having access to a character and having access to the actual property based around that character? (Superman for example. Pretty sure the last Superman game to have been published was by EA)

No. WB owns all the rights.

EA published the Superman Returns game in conjunction with WB because WB had EA Tiburon develop the game.

 

[Lord of Castamere]

This isn't too surprising. I imagine they expected the disc version to sell well, and then the second season to supplement that, but it didn't. I don't think the live events in Hitman were enough for replayability. I feel bad for Hitman, ballooning budgets killed it. It's too niche of a genre for the amount of detail they put in. It can't be cheap to make. Hopefully, IO lands on their feet.

 

[CloudWolf]

So IO finally makes a good Hitman game again and this is their reward? Goddammit Square.

 

[F4r0_Atak]

With the talk of MS investing more heavily in first-party studios, IO might be a good fit.

Considering the (apparently) lackluster financial performance of Hitman, I'm not sure the acquisition makes sense for anyone else.

Would be interesting to see what IO could do in terms of taking the tools and techniques developed during the making of Hitman, and developing them further with a story/theme that's not Hitman.

How would that make more sense for MS to acquire them over any other publishers? As much as I would like to see MS expand its first studios (believe me when I say I want to see more 1st party games from MS), I would love to see what IO could do with a Syphon Filter reboot if they were under SIE WWS. It's just me I guess. :/

 

[polyh3dron]

IMO Hitman and Resident Evil 7 are both perfect examples of how a decently selling and badly received predecessor negatively impacts a critically acclaimed sequel.

 

[MadMod]

Square Enix have an incredibly unrealistic expectation for their franchises. I believe they think all of their games can sell as much as Uncharted. They need to run their company better it seems, even the decision to make Tomb Raider a timed exclusive was a questionable decision sales wise. They're only restraining themselves with the way they run their company. Although much of the blame for Hitman is clearly the blame of Absolution, sequels are always damaged by previous bad games. Look at Watch Dogs, Resident Evil. I truly believe that Bioware's next game will sell less due to their last two games.

 

[Tagg9]

Jesus.

Put out a masterpiece game with deep thought and the market just savages you. Grindhouse latex nuns tho

I think it's simply a case of the game being released at the wrong time. The market was starving for a Hitman experience when Absolution came out, but a lot of the Hitman fans I know sadly didn't bother with the reboot from last year (mainly because there are so many other quality games at the moment).

 

[-Mutsukki-]

Square Enix have an incredibly unrealistic expectation for their franchises. I believe they think all of their games can sell as much as Uncharted. They need to run their company better it seems, even the decision to make Tomb Raider a timed exclusive was a questionable decision sales wise. They're only restraining themselves with the way they run their company.

I don't think calling 600k a loss for a game like that is being unrealistic at all.

 

[CloudWolf]

Makes me very sad. I've only played the first 4 games. Where I truly loved Blood Money.
I think I have played that game over 50 times now.
If I would ever feel like speedrunning, that would be my game.

Never bothered with the new Hitman game and it's episodes, as I absolutely hated their approach on the series in Absolution, I never gave it any chance.
If it is more like Blood Money and the first 2 games, I can always get it. Complete edition isn't very expensive anyway.

One of my favorite series, as I am a sucker for stealth games, making 100% sure nobody ever knew I was there.

Buy it. You're going to love Hitman 2016, it completely erases everything from Absolution (except the Contracts mode) and brings back everything that made Blood Money great and even improves on it. IMO it's the best Hitman game out there.

 

[MadMod]

I don't think calling 600k a loss for a game like that is being unrealistic at all.

Yeah thats Steam only? Do we know the console sales too?

 

[Vazduh]

Dammit, Square-Enix!

I hope IO Interactive pulls through. We need more games from them. Hell, even Kane & Lynch 3 would do.

(I know I'm in the minority, but I loved the 2nd one)

 

[xviper]

Hitman 2016 was amazing and a true Hitman game, unlike that abomination absolution

but they deserve this, Hitman should NEVER be an episodic game

 

[F4r0_Atak]

Hitman 2016 was amazing and a true Hitman game, unlike that abomination absolution

but they deserve this, Hitman should NEVER be an episodic game

Who deserved this? Square Enix or IO Interactive? Because the one who is getting shafted isn't SE.

 

[Easy_D]

So is this the western branch having to pay for the mistakes of the Japan branch or what?

 

[Remembrance]

One saving grace here is that Hitman as a game doesn't need to be tied to an IP at all. Most people ignored the story of the last game, and it's possibly the only series where the most memorable characters by definition can never return. Because they all die.

All we need is the gameplay to go on, and there's nothing proprietary about that.

Also, consider that Square Enix being out of the picture might mean no more mandates for always-online.

 

[Nessus]

God damnit.

First Deus Ex now this.

 

[Calm Mind]

Hey guys, systems driven sandbox games are coming back and they're good again


Now they're all going to die unless they're $80 million open world titles

At the very least.

 

[Alexander DeLarge]

Episodic content model + Denuvo + always online authentication certainly didn't help the PC version. These things combined really pissed off their target audience. What a shame considering it was the best HITMAN since Blood Money.

 

[F4r0_Atak]

So is this the western branch having to pay for the mistakes of the Japan branch or what?

We'll see in a couple years when Eidos finishes and releases the Avengers while SE Japan studios will still be working on KH3... so maybe. XD

 

[BananasWithGuns]

Realistically speaking, what, if any, publishers would be interested?

 

[TheTylerRob]

Episodic content model + Denuvo + always online authentication certainly didn't help the PC version. These things combined really pissed off their target audience. What a shame considering it was the best HITMAN since Blood Money.

Considering this and Street Fighter V I'm thinking this whole episodic thing is a bust unless you're Telltale.

 

[eXistor]

The reason I still haven't bought the new Hitman is simply because of the episodic release structure. This year-old game is now on disc for full price and I just refuse to pay that. I'm very much looking forward to playing it, but I'll wait for a sale. If they had just completed the game and released it normally I (and I imagine many others) would have bought it. This soft-launch bullshit is terrible.

 

[holygeesus]

Do any games bundled with graphics cards sell well? Makes you wonder how many sales those selling their bundled in codes on marketplaces, take away from Steam sales etc.

 

[NumberThree]

Jesus.

Put out a masterpiece game with deep thought and the market just savages you. Grindhouse latex nuns tho

Steam reviews for Absolution are 90% positive (recent 91%)
For HITMAN they're 71% positive (recent 80%)

Fuck this planet

 

[Mister0079]

can't wait for more garbage tomb raider games, final fantasies and comic book games

video games were a mistake

 

[Parsnip]

Shiiit.

 

[kpaadet]

So SE sell the studio that made their best game in 2016 and made an engine some of the other SE studio uses. Yet keep Crystal D and Edios Montreal, there is no justice.