Microsoft might acquire IO Interactive

[GhostlyTheGhost]

Barkley said:

WoodenPints said:

IO Interactive don't own the Hitman IP so if Microsoft or another big publisher did buy them they would loose their exclusive rights to it as Square Enix own the Hitman IP. If anyone were to acquire IOI it would be purely on the basis of the development teams quality and efficiency that they can pump out good games.

"IO Interactive has revealed it has officially gone independent and, better still, will "keep all of the rights to the Hitman IP.""

Hitman 2 already has no involvement with Square. It's published by Warner Bros.

Yeah here's the quote saying they own the IP “Crucially, we will keep all of the rights to the Hitman IP,” Abrak wrote. “This is a watershed moment for IOI. As of today, we have complete control over the direction for our studio and the Hitman IP — we’re about to forge our own future and it’s incredibly exciting.”

flashfire926 said:

AngryLittleAlchemist said:

I'm pretty sure Io Interactive own the IP, otherwise every article I've read about it is just purposely vague.

https://www.polygon.com/2017/6/16/15816232/io-interactive-hitman

https://trademarks.justia.com/784/28/hitman-78428222.html

I don't think the articles are purposely vague, they are vague because Square in general has been vague about this whole deal.

The Status Date on your link is 2015-10-29 so it looks like it isn't up to date  as IO split from square in 2017  and they've outright said they kept all the rights to the Hitman IP