Fourth Hitman working for Blood Money

In September, British publisher Eidos reported its financial earnings for the fiscal year 2004. Amid the disclosures of decreased revenues and sliding earnings, the report also revealed the company was working on two unnamed, new installments in its flagship franchises: a seventh Tomb Raider and a fourth Hitman, both due in the second half of 2005.

Today, one of those games got a name and a new release date. This morning, Eidos announced that the next Hitman will be titled Hitman: Blood Money. As with other Hitmans, the game will be developed by the now Eidos-owned studio Io Interactive, which also created the acclaimed tactical shooter Freedom Fighters. It will arrive in spring 2005 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC.

Eidos also laid out Blood Money's basic plot: When his coworkers at the assassination agency ICA are getting whacked, series antihero Agent 47 is forced underground--ere he becomes the next target. He travels from his usual European digs to the good ol' USA, where he goes into business for himself.

Hitman: Blood Money will also live up to its name gameplay-wise. Since Agent 47 is now--no pun intended--a free agent, he is paid in cash, which he will use to buy weapons and pay informants, affecting the game's outcome. Blood money will also feature a revamped version of Io's Glacier engine, as well as the series' requisite shootings, bludgeonings, stabbings, garrotings, smotherings, car bombings, and other assorted means of human disposal.

GameSpot will have more details on Hitman: Blood Money as they become available.