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It’s a “big yes” from IO when it comes to working with more online celebrities for
IO Interactive says it is keen to work with more online celebrities on Hitman Elusive Targets, following its first such collaboration with creator Sean “Jacksepticeye” McLoughlin. The partnership helped shape Finn Colton, a content creator character in Hitman World of Assassination, and gave the mission a perspective rooted in the online creator world.
McLoughlin visited IO’s Brighton office to develop the character and level with the team, and suggested the shifts in tone when cameras turn on and off. IO writer Jen Simpkins said he understood the concept and offered valuable insights. Earlier celebrity targets have featured figures such as Snoop Dogg and Eminem; Simpkins says the internet offers many potential characters, provided they can work closely with the studio.
In short
- IO Interactive wants to feature more online creators in Hitman.
- Jacksepticeye helped develop his character and mission.
- His ideas shaped the level’s camera-related tone shifts.
Explained simply
Hitman World of Assassination is a stealth game series in which players take on missions as an assassin. Elusive Targets are special missions built around a particular character, often inspired by a public figure.
IO Interactive makes the Hitman games. For a mission featuring Finn Colton, an online content creator, the studio worked with Sean “Jacksepticeye” McLoughlin, a creator who appears on video platforms. He visited the studio to help develop the character and the mission.
The collaboration reflects a wider practice of drawing on well-known people to create characters in the game. Working with online creators can bring knowledge of how that world operates, while requiring close collaboration with the studio.