Hitman maker IO Interactive will publish the new action thriller by Leslie Benzies’ Build A Rocket Boy

IO Interactive is moving into third-party publishing with MindsEye, the new action thriller by Build A Rocket Boy, the AAA team formed by GTA producer Leslie Benzies.

IOI is best known for the Hitman series, which it has largely self-published since it split from Square Enix in 2017. Alongside continued support for Hitman, IO Interactive is also developing a James Bond origin story and a new fantasy IP.

Build A Rocket Boy is the huge new studio formed by Leslie Benzies, the Rockstar veteran best known as one of the key people behind Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series. It’s received significant funding since 2018, and is working on numerous projects, including MindsEye and the online game/creation platform Everywhere.

IO Interactive told GamesIndustry.biz in 2021 that it was open to publishing games by other studios, and has now launched a division dedicated to doing just that called IOI Partners. Nevertheless, we had expected the firm would start with something smaller, or perhaps a AA title. We certainly hadn’t anticipated its first third-party deal to be the next AAA game by the creator of Grand Theft Auto Online.

"We ourselves expected to start in AA, to be honest," admits IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak.

"It's true that we have been thinking about publishing other games for a while. We saw that as a natural way to go. We are a company that has done four original IPs from the ground up. We are used to not only thinking about the core gameplay of a new franchise, but also bringing a franchise to life. Being part of the whole strategy of bringing a new IP to market, and building a community, is something we've done in different situations and under different circumstances.

"That is part of why this came about. We are actually a company that has done this from not just a publishing and distribution perspective, but also as a developer. I think there is something here in terms of the mentality, attitude, dreams and approach that is compatible with Build A Rocket Boy and the good people over there."

"It is great to see that there is space for AAA studios that are taking these kind of risks on a project of this size, and can still be independent"

Abrak notes similarities between IO Interactive and Build A Rocket Boy in terms of their history with big corporations, becoming independent and trying to launch a new IP in the AAA space.

"When you look at AAA studios that are independent, you could probably count us on half a hand," he notes. "Build A Rocket Boy saw something in us in terms of the way we distribute, the way we build communities closely with our game, the way we market our products, the way we treat our gamers… there is something there that they saw themselves in."

He adds: "It is great to see that there is space for AAA studios that are taking these kind of risks on a project of this size, and can still be independent. We've seen that with Larian Studios as well. They had a huge success, which is very inspiring."

IOI Partners isn’t providing any funding for MindsEye, and is instead playing a "classical publishing" role, with marketing, distribution, localisation and customer support.

In previous press briefings, Benzies suggested MindsEye might adopt an episodic model, which would be somewhat similar to IO Interactive’s approach with the Hitman games. Abrak wouldn’t be drawn on the distribution or monetisation strategy for the game, but did say he expects the project to grow over time.

"For us, with Hitman, it's about single player-as-a-service. I know that 'as-a-service' can be seen as a bad word in some context. But what we've done with Hitman and World of Assassination, I think, is create a universe that just kept on growing. And I do believe that has huge value. These are some of the things that we believe in, and some of these things you will see in MindsEye as well."

Since the start of its current Hitman trilogy in 2016, IO Interactive has released over 500 updates, including regular new modes and missions.

"It is about having this expanding universe that never sleeps," Abrak explains. "To have this promise to the player that you vigilantly keep and deliver on over many years."

MindsEye certainly looks like a game that matches IO Interactive’s style. It’s a cinematic action adventure thriller that fits nicely in a line-up next to James Bond and Hitman. Yet Abrak is keen to stress that there’s more to IO than "people in suits with guns".

"IO has been many things," he tells us. "We put a lot of effort into being original, and we put a lot of effort, sometimes into being provocative, with titles like Kane & Lynch. They're not the most angelic people that you can meet. And Hitman… we like to think we're dealing with dark humour, but it is about assassination.

"But we've also done Mini Ninjas, kids games, and Freedom Fighters... and we have our fantasy game. We have a long history of incubation where we’ve tried many things. We like to be original, and we do like to have a certain width in our creative repertoire.

"What we see here is something we can completely relate to. The fantasy for MindsEye is something that's awesome, and something we want to be part of."

IO Interactive is still relatively new to publishing, but Abrak is eager to remind us of IO’s expertise in this area. Square Enix had a studio-led approach with its games, so the developer had an active role in working with platform holders and promoting its titles all the way back to 2009. He also pointed to how the firm merged Hitman 1, 2 and 3 into one connected experience.

"When you have three separate games that work together from the menus, and merge in an ever-expanding way, as if it’s a World of Warcraft live game… you are pushing the boundaries of these things with the platform holders," he observes.

"We have been at the forefront of how to merge these things on their back end and digital stores. So over the years, we've obtained a lot of experience."

However, we shouldn’t expect IO to rush out and sign a huge number of third-party projects.

"We're not going to turn into the Volkswagen of publishing overnight," Abrak adds. "Right now, we're super focused on this partnership. As you said, it could have been different. It could have been a single or AA game. It's a huge, ambitious game and it's a huge responsibility, and honour, to be a part of it.

"But obviously this is another step in our journey. It is very possible that there will be more of this in the future for IO Interactive."

We’ve become accustomed to surprising news stories about IO at GamesIndustry.biz. In 2017, it was about survival for the studio, and it’s gone on to defy expectations, with the success of Hitman, the new projects it’s commissioned, the offices it’s opened in the UK, Spain and Türkiye, and now this publishing deal.

It still needs to prove it can deliver outside of the Hitman universe, but the IO story so far has been an exciting one to follow.

"Since Square Enix, our comeback story and growth has been surprising for a lot of people," Abrak concludes. "Bond was a surprise, new IP was a surprise… this just adds to that exciting journey that we're on. It's hard work. It's a lot, right? But it is super exciting to have that momentum.

"This was another one of those things where we were wondering if we could pull something like this off. I am holding on as this ride goes on, and it is pretty fricking amazing."