GAMING
IO Interactive's Project Fantasy Shift Follows Microsoft Exit
The hitmaker behind the Hitman franchise, IO Interactive, is moving into uncharted territory after Xbox pulled its funding for Project Fantasy. While the developers have pledged to stay 100% committed to bringing this new universe to life independently, the move comes with a heavy price tag: the closure of their Istanbul studio. This decision highlights the turn from a corporate-backed project into an independent production, but it's now up to us to see if the core team can deliver high-quality content without that massive corporate backing and the support of their local offices.
The Transfer Siren · 7 July 2026
The hitmaker behind the Hitman franchise, IO Interactive, is moving into uncharted territory after Xbox pulled its funding for Project Fantasy. While the developers have pledged to stay 100% committed to bringing this new universe to life independently, the move comes with a heavy price tag: the closure of their Istanbul studio. This decision highlights the turn from a corporate-backed project into an independent production, but it's now up to us to see if the core team can deliver high-quality content without that massive corporate backing and the support of their local offices.
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