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IO Interactive has officially confirmed that it is no longer working with an external partner to develop its original intellectual property, widely referred to as Project Fantasy. The announcement comes shortly after the studio celebrated significant commercial success with 007: First Light, which sold 1.5 million copies in its first 24 hours and received critical acclaim.
The end of an era for Project Fantasy
In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), the developer behind Hitman acknowledged that while recent news has been positive regarding their Bond adaptation, they are parting ways with the partner helping build their fantasy RPG. This project was previously leaked in 2021 under the codename Project Dragon, with reports indicating Xbox was the publisher and financial backer.
An Xbox spokesperson told Bloomberg that Microsoft is not reducing its overall investment in games but is changing “where we’re investing and the kinds of projects we’re backing.” This marks a definitive shift away from the original agreement for this specific title.
IO Interactive plans to continue development
Despite losing Microsoft’s support, IO Interactive intends to move forward with Project Fantasy. The studio has not specified who will replace Xbox as the publishing partner or how funding will be secured, but given the momentum from 007: First Light, industry observers expect they may attract new interest.
The game had previously surfaced during Microsoft’s legal battles over the Activision-Blizzard acquisition in 2023, highlighting its strategic importance at the time. Now, with Xbox pulling out, the future of this unreleased title hangs in the balance as the studio seeks a new path forward.
What this means for you
For gamers anticipating a new fantasy RPG from the Hitman creators, this news introduces uncertainty regarding release dates and platform exclusivity. If IO Interactive secures a new partner, the game may still launch as planned, but potential changes to scope or features could occur. Meanwhile, this move aligns with broader rumors of restructuring within Xbox Game Studios, suggesting a tighter focus on core franchises.
Source: Windows Central
Over to you: Do you think IO Interactive will find a new publisher for Project Fantasy, or is this project likely to be shelved indefinitely?
