IO Interactive's CEO Hakan Abrak has finally tossed a bone to Hitman fans fretting over Agent 47's extended vacation: more bald-headed assassinations are inbound.

Abrak, speaking to Variety, laid it out plain: "We cannot wait to get into the engine room and upgrade, invent, and innovate Hitman for you guys again." It's been five years since Hitman: World of Assassination dropped its trilogy capstone, with IOI's Copenhagen crew diverted to 007 First Light—slated for March 2026—and a fantasy project that's "very far along" but light on details.

Hitman anchors IOI's legacy—more than half of their 13 games over 26 years bear the barcode. Bond's origin tale is a ground-up rebuild, not a reskin, explaining the wait but not excusing the silence. Community threads on Reddit echo the relief mixed with skepticism: promises of Hitman 4 abound, but timelines? Scarce as a silent takedown.

No dates, no codename, just CEO assurance that 007 won't eclipse the flagship. World of Assassination chugs on with 2026 roadmaps, buying time until IOI swings back to what built them. Fans, temper expectations—innovation sounds good until it's delayed.