Square Enix announced today that, as a result of evaluations on current market conditions, decided to split from IO Interactive , the studio responsible for Hitman that the Japanese giant had acquired in 2009. The Publisher is now looking for other entities interested in acquiring the Danish study, so as to preserve jobs and avoid layoffs.

We don't know so for now what will be the fate of IO Interactive, Hitman franchise nor that which remains in the hands of Square Enix, but it is likely that the series will be placed in "hibernation" waiting for better times.

The news follows previous rumor about frostbite of Deus Ex and Mass Effect , pointing out the clear crisis that exquisitely series single player are experiencing at this time, however, reaffirmed recently by the head of Xbox Phil Spencer which claimed to want to set the scene so that this type of securities back to being profitable for publishers.

We will update you if reveal further news on the fate of IO Interactive and the Hitman series.