IO Interactive, the studio behind Hitman and the upcoming Project 007, is early at work on a fantasy game to be published by Xbox Game Studios. That news comes according to a report from Windows Central, which was later corroborated by Eurogamer. The game is one of several to be published under Xbox Game Studios Global Publishing, which has previously published second-party games like Tell Me Why from Dontnod.
Windows Central staffers like Miles Dampier and Jez Corden have been teasing a dragon game using the dragon emoji for some time now, but the outlet has finally let more details spill. Once reported, Eurogamer decided to confirm the reports with its own information, with Tom Phillips saying "Eurogamer sources have also heard word of this new project within IO Interactive, which is described as being AAA in scope though still very early in development, and years away. It's currently planned to feature a large medieval-esque world and, yes, winged beasts of the dragon variety.
"Without going into too much detail, we have a third universe that we're working actively on, which is a bit different and absolutely a love child," studio head Hakan Abrak said during a an earlier presentation. "It is something our core people, our veteran staff, have been dreaming about for some time."
IO just recently opened a third studio in Barcelona, leading some to wonder what else the team was working on. Project 007 is in the middle of a staff surge, but Hitman 3 is likely reliant only on a smaller team right now as it's entered its DLC season. Presumably this third team is working on the new game, or at least some number of the developers there will be.
Interestingly enough, this fantasy game would be the latest in a long line for Xbox's future plans. Obsidian is working on Avowed, a first-person fantasy RPG that takes place in the Pillars of Eternity universe. Rare is working on Everwild, an open-world fantasy adventure with co-op elements. Playground Games is building the reboot of Fable. And who could forget The Elder Scrolls VI? That future Bethesda RPG may well be exclusive to the Game Pass and Xbox ecosystem as well.
