Next Hitman game to be developed by Square Enix Montreal - Report

Hitman: Absolution developer IO Interactive has confirmed that the next instalment in the franchise will not be made in-house.

Speaking to Official PlayStation Magazine, Absolution director Tore Blystad said that Agent 47's next outing will be developed by Square Enix Montreal.

"It's like with Treyarch and Infinity Ward," Blystad told the publication. "You have an IP that has been developed. They will feed off each other, as well as some things that stand out. I think with these big franchises, it takes a long time to develop just one game. If you can, work a little bit in parallel at least, and help each other out."

According to Blystad, the new game will be a chance for a fresh perspective on the franchise. While it will be entirely in the hands of Square Enix Montreal, IO will reportedly monitor its development along the way.

"We've been talking about these similarities to some of the big movie franchises, like Aliens, where everyone's doing it their own way. Every time someone gets their hands on a franchise, they do something different."

For more on Hitman: Absolution, check out GameSpot's review.