Is this the strike of death, or the right move for the next edition of the series? Do you believe that they are only making it playable to everyone, but at the same time still retain the skill and challenge the fans of the series love? Could this be another mass effect 2 situation? 

When speaking with Digital Trends, director Tore Blystad expained that the steep learning curve has limted the auidence IO interactive want to reach, and went on to mention: 

"The Hitman games of the past have been very hardcore," insisted Blystad. "Even though the fantasy of the Hitman universe has a very universal appeal, the games have been so difficult to play, that it's been more of an acquired taste.

"The biggest challenge that we had with this game was to make it much broader in every sense, so that it was easier to play and more accessible, but still retain a very strong, hardcore side as well. We don't want to alienate any of our fans who have been extremely loyal for so many years."

He then procceed to talk about improvements in AI and how they have an new innovative AI technology to create an more immersive experienced but his analogies made little sence (read on: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-27-hitman-absolution-to-be-more-accessible). All hopes are for this AI technology and improvements to blow us away come E3 because if the hitman series needed anymore improvement it would be AI in an major way.

But what about this "making more accessible", this could be miss read as "Dumming down" for the causal audience, but it could really be removing the steep learning curce, who knows but lets pray that IO dont cut down on non linear spawling game levels, wide vareity of different solutions and the immense amount of murder techniques. But one last thing I would like to point out is that IO and Square Enix are going for the movie-game tie in system but in reverse were Hitman the game is getting an movie to release at the end of the year hopefully with Hitman the game on the same day. 

btw: i wrote this article :D better than eurogammers i say

OH BOY.

ALL MY H...

APPINESS :)

ohh man i hope this doens´t got the Resident evil route!

THESE FUCKING BASTARDS BETTER NOT RUIN THE HITMAN SERIES!

This is by far the worst aspect of this gneration. It's disgusting. I hate seeing developers ruin a great series by making their games appeal to 9 year old idiots. I pray and hope Hitman isn't casualized like the SOCOM Series. If they do go casual, I hope it fails!

I should have known this would happen .... Still at the top of my radar, though

Are we allowed to hate on casuals if this all goes wrong?

If not, I will be willing to take the ban.

If you need any assastance with hating, just let me know...

if they do screw it up we will be seeing another former great developer close down and more people out of work. 

OMFG O_O you better not $&%* this one up damn it! Even though I enjoyed them after the first Hitman it became a bit noob friendly..at least keep it there and don't make it any worse!!!!! :( I love this series

noob friendly, I played Blood money and theat game is unforgiving, the only way i found to beat the washington level is to pack high powered shotgun and submachine gun and kill everyone. that game was hard but really fun.