Hitman 3’s Budget Was Just a Fifth of Hitman 2016’s Thanks to One Bold Move: “I Swore Never to Make More New Toilets,” IO Interactive CEO Says

IO Interactive’s CEO Hakan Abrak recently opened up about how the studio managed to cut the budget for Hitman 3 down to just a fifth of what Hitman 2016 cost. The secret? Stopping the wasteful habit of creating new assets for every single game, especially things like new bathrooms. Abrak joked, “I swore never to do more new toilets.”

After IO Interactive became independent from Square Enix in 2017, the studio had to learn how to be smarter with its money. Abrak explained in an interview with The Game Business that the studio used to throw resources into creating everything from scratch for each game. That included bathrooms, which he called “just a throwaway.” This kind of waste wasn’t sustainable.

When they started working on Hitman 2016, IO Interactive changed its approach. They created what they call the “brick system,” which focuses on building reusable game assets and systems.

This way, instead of making everything new every time, they could recycle and improve what was already there. This approach helped them cut costs while still delivering quality games.

Abrak gave some rough numbers to explain how this strategy paid off: “If Hitman 2016 was $100 million, then Hitman 2 was maybe $60 million, and Hitman 3 was $20 million.” And despite the smaller budget, Hitman 3 actually got the best reviews, with Metacritic scores around 85 to 87. It still featured brand-new, unique locations, proving that less can be more.

Abrak said the studio learned from its past mistakes, especially from Hitman: Absolution in 2012, where they wasted a lot on unnecessary production. He said, “With Absolution, we wasted so much. It was a wasteful production. As studio production director back then, I completely changed our thinking.” That shift led to the sustainable production style IO uses today.

While Hitman 3’s budget shrank, the studio hasn’t stopped being ambitious. Abrak mentioned that the upcoming 007: First Light game will have a bigger budget because it’s a more ambitious project. Still, they will use the same efficient mindset to keep things sustainable. “At IO, we have a really, really good way of trying to be efficient. That’s extremely important to us,” he said.

Abrak also talked about the industry’s current state. Many companies rushed to grow during the COVID era, which caused some problems later on, like layoffs and studio closures.

But IO Interactive stayed careful, growing only as fast as their team and culture could handle. “We could have grown a lot more. We could have taken on more projects. But I think we’ve been very mindful about growing with the pace of where our culture and our expertise could follow.”

The studio’s approach to Hitman has been to build a live-service experience. The World of Assassination series, which combines Hitman 2016, Hitman 2, and Hitman 3, continues to get new content and has sold over 25 million copies worldwide. This long-term strategy shows how careful planning and smart reuse of assets can lead to both financial success and happy players.

Abrak hinted that the new James Bond game, 007: First Light, will benefit from the same lessons learned in the Hitman series. He said the game will bring improved stealth, more action, and exciting new gameplay challenges like driving exotic cars and seamless combat. “The first objective with 007 First Light is to come out with the best possible, most impactful journey for gamers,” Abrak said, adding that they’ll apply their experience from Hitman to make the Bond game stand out.

In short, IO Interactive has found a smart way to balance ambition with efficiency. By avoiding waste and reusing assets, they managed to create successful, high-quality games while keeping budgets under control. This strategy has helped them survive as an independent studio and build a strong future for their franchises.

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