Independent Danish developer IO Interactive has launched a studio in Barcelona to work on an “unannounced IP” as well its Hitman franchise and Project OO7 James Bond origin story game.
The location will be the third development studio operated by the company, with its other two studios being IOI Copenhagen in Denmark and IOI Malmö in Sweden. IOI Barcelona will be in the city centre, and already has a core team in place with additional open jobs available including designers, programmers, producers and animators.
No details on the new project were available in the company’s announcement or its blog.
“There are exciting times ahead at IO Interactive and I am proud to announce the next step in our plans for the most desirable game company in Europe,” said Hakan Abrak, CEO of IO Interactive, in a statement on Friday. “IOI Barcelona will become the third studio to join our efforts to create phenomenal experiences for our players and communities. All three of our studios have extremely talented developers who are passionate and driven towards making an impact in our industry. A core part of our philosophy is that everyone at IOI has a significant and impactful role to play in realizing our dreams, regardless of where they’re located. Think of it as we are one studio, in multiple locations.”
Abrak gave a keynote during GamesIndustry’s GI: Online event where he referred briefly to the new IP. “Without going into too much detail, we have a third universe that we’re working actively on, which is a bit different and absolutely a love child. It is something our core people, our veteran staff, have been dreaming about for some time.”
IO Interactive’s latest game in the stealth Hitman franchise was Hitman 3, released in January of this year. The company is also known for the third-person shooter franchise Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, which spawned a sequel in 2010.