IO Interactive: James Bond Game Could Be Trilogy And Studio Expands
Hakan Abrak, the CEO of Hitman developer IO Interactive, says the James Bond game the studio is working on has a completely new story and that a trilogy could come out of it. Abrak expects the studio to double in size in the coming years.
The CEO of the Danish game studio gives some new details about the James Bond game that IO Interactive is working on in an interview with the Danish public broadcaster DR. It was already known that the game is not based on movies, Abrak clarifies that the studio itself writes its own story. “You can easily imagine that a trilogy could come out of that,” says Abrak. It is not yet known whether there are actually plans for three James Bond games. The studio boss hints at that possibility or wish with his statement.
Abrak tells in the interview how IO Interactive was commissioned to make a James Bond game. That is not easy, because permission is required from the British company EON Productions, which owns the rights. The production company is owned by the Broccoli family. He did not think previous James Bond games were worthy and believes that games are too violent, says Abrak. That’s why no 007 games have appeared for years.
Winning the Broccoli family was the trickiest hurdle. According to the studio boss, preparations have taken about two years to convince the rights holders. Abrak thinks the Scandinavian down to earth mentality helped in getting the job. After the studio persuaded the Broccoli family, it was a small effort to get the green light from the film company MGM, which manages the license.
The CEO of IO Interactive says the studio currently has 200 employees and he expects to grow to more than 400 in the coming years. The deal to make a Bond game means “an awful lot” to the studio, Abrak said.
IO Interactive announced in November last year that the studio is working on a new James Bond game. The name is not yet known, for now the game is known as Project 007. It will take years before the game comes out.