"...we don’t want to force anyone to (re)buy what they already own."

Later that same very post:

"...you will have to purchase it [again] to gain access to that con[t]ent"

- ClemensIOI, 08Feb2023, (Source: Steam Community Announcement post).

 

IO Interactive has been a prominent name in the world of gaming, known for its iconic Hitman series. However, it is with great disappointment that we, the loyal fans of IO Interactive, have witnessed the company's actions betraying the trust of its dedicated player base. This petition seeks to shed light on these disheartening developments and call for accountability.

Background:

IO Interactive had made commitment to its fans not to force customers to re-purchase content they already owned. Players who owned Hitman 1 content were able to play it in Hitman 2 and both games' locations later in Hitman 3. This was facilitated by the access pass system which granted owned content in the later instillments. This feature not only encouraged player loyalty but also rewarded long-term commitment to the franchise.

However, on January 26th, 2023, IO Interactive made a decision to rebrand Hitman 3 into Hitman: World of Assassination. As part of this rebranding, all previous Hitman games were delisted and removed from sale. As stated by IOI on the official website in an announcement (Jan 03, 2023) the intention was  to consolidated all Hitman content under one title and clear up confusions about the DLCs. What was disheartening was the fact that IO Interactive retroactively changed their stance on content ownership. Customers who had not redeemed their content by the rebranding date were now required to repurchase content they had already owned from previous titles.

Additional Concerns:

IO Interactive's actions extend beyond this broken promise. Loyal fans have been frustrated by:

Controversial Releases: IO Interactive's handling of game releases, store exclusivity has raised concerns among some fans, leading to frustration and disappointment (source various social media).
Unfair Cross-Platform Pricing: Inconsistencies in pricing between different platforms have left many players feeling unfairly treated. When the game was released on Steam, after a year of being an Epic exclusive, many fans were upset by being asked to pay significant premium over the Epic Store version.
Convoluted and Incomplete DLC Packs: The rollout of downloadable content (DLC) packs has often been confusing and incomplete, notoriously requiring in-depth community "buying guides" and flowcharts. Even after the consolidation, some of the Hitman 2 content is excluded as a separate DLC.
Dropped Support for earlier titles: IO Interactive's decision to drop support for Hitman 1 and 2, relatively recent games that customers paid for, has left many feeling abandoned and unsupported. As seen from customer support interactions, Hitman 2 customers were asked to only reach out with concerns pertaining to Hitman: World of Assassination.

Call to Action:

We, the undersigned, believe that IO Interactive should be held accountable for its actions. We call on IO Interactive to:

Reevaluate their policy on content ownership: Honor the original promise not to force customers to repurchase content they already own and restore content redemption across titles.
Address fan concerns: Listen to and address the concerns of the loyal Hitman community regarding game releases, pricing, and DLC.
Support previous titles: Continue to support and maintain the integrity of previous titles in the Hitman series.

IO Interactive has the opportunity to regain the trust of its fanbase and reaffirm its commitment to delivering quality gaming experiences. We hope this petition will serve as a catalyst for positive change within the company and the gaming industry as a whole.