AAA Sequels' Shocking Budget Cuts: Is This the End of Gaming?!

## Should Triple-A Sequels Have Smaller Budgets Than Their Predecessors? One Studio Says Yes.

AAA Sequels' Shocking Budget Cuts: Is This the End...

In the ever-turbulent waters of the Game development world, stability is a treasure. Mass layoffs and studio closures have become a grim reality, especially for those ambitious triple-A projects we all drool over. But one studio, IO Interactive, the masterminds behind the modern Hitman series, claims to have found a rather counterintuitive solution: deliberately producing sequels with smaller budgets than the original.

IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak recently discussed this strategy, highlighting how it's been instrumental in the studio's success with the "World of Assassination" trilogy. They've fostered consistent engagement and revenue through ongoing live support, including those ever-intriguing "Elusive Target" missions. But before they could even think about that, they had to *make* those Hitman games.

The numbers are pretty staggering. Apparently, Hitman 3, which garnered the highest Metacritic score of the entire trilogy, was developed in under two years and cost a mere $20 million. That's roughly a quarter of the original Hitman's budget! Abrak's philosophy boils down to this: the initial investment carries the most risk, but subsequent games should build on that foundation instead of trying to completely reinvent the wheel each time. It's about evolving the revolution, not sparking a new one every single time, if that makes sense.

This "building on the revolution" approach culminated in the rather unique decision to bundle all three Hitman games into one cohesive product, the "World of Assassination." It's like a gaming Voltron, benefiting from constant updates and expansions. Now, it's important to acknowledge that this isn't a universally applicable solution. Not every game lends itself to this kind of cohesive, evergreen model.

It's also worth noting that while Hitman 2 and Hitman 3 did indeed cost less to develop, IO Interactive faced significant hurdles. Remember when Square Enix divested from the studio in 2017? That led to layoffs and a reduction in the scope of Hitman 2 as key financial resources dried up. It wasn't all smooth sailing, by any means.

The transition to the "World of Assassination" also had its bumps. The initial PC exclusivity deal for Hitman 3 on the Epic Games Store caused quite a stir, particularly for players who had purchased the previous games on Steam. Ensuring everyone had access to the content they'd paid for proved trickier than anticipated. Bundling everything together ultimately resolved these issues, ensuring a level playing field for all players.