After a six-year hiatus, Hitman: Absolution (2012) was published, and a high-definition port of the original three console games in 2013, both by Square Enix.

Mainline games in the Hitman series have been generally well-received, with most critics praising the take on stealth gameplay and freedom of approach.

Initially, the studio had planned to develop a straightforward shooter titled Rex-Domonius, but the concept was ultimately abandoned by Reto-Moto.

[5] The creative vision for Hitman: Codename 47 was led by Danish designer Jacob Andersen, who drew inspiration from Hong Kong action films.

Andersen explained, "We decided to do a quick game inspired by Hong Kong action movies... Basically, a guy in a suit blasting away in a Chinese restaurant.

Building upon the foundation of Codename 47, Silent Assassin placed greater emphasis on stealth mechanics and introduced new features, such as a first-person view mode, the ability to incapacitate enemies non-lethally, and missions that allowed for multiple approaches.

While the controls were improved and efforts were made to address AI issues, non-player characters continued to exhibit unpredictable behavior.

"[5] The next installment, Hitman: Contracts, was developed by IO and published by Eidos Interactive for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and Xbox in April 2004.

Developed concurrently with its predecessor, Blood Money continued the story from the previous installment and represented a significant leap forward in terms of graphics, AI, and level design, thanks to increased resources from both IO and Eidos.

[13] Following the release of Blood Money, IO Interactive shifted its focus to developing new franchises, including the action-packed Kane & Lynch series (2007 and 2010) and the more family-friendly Mini Ninjas (2009).

[16][17][18] The developers stated that Absolution, while retaining stealth elements, would move away from the sandbox levels of the first four games and incorporate more action-oriented features, such as a cinematic story-driven narrative and increased emphasis on gunplay, to appeal to a broader audience.

[5] A new mechanic called 'Instinct' was introduced, allowing players to track enemies through walls and highlight objects of interest, a feature that would become a staple of the franchise.

[5] Upon release, Absolution received mixed-to-positive reviews, with many longtime fans criticizing its departure from the classic Hitman formula.

[22] Hitman Go, a turn-based puzzle video game developed by Square Enix Montreal, was released for iOS on 17 April 2014 and for Android on 4 June 2014.

[25] Hitman: Sniper, a first-person shooter developed by Square Enix Montreal, was released for iOS and Android on 4 June 2015.

Unlike traditional Hitman games, it focuses solely on sniping mechanics, with players taking on the role of Agent 47 to eliminate targets from a fixed position using a sniper rifle.

[28] Structured episodically, Hitman featured six levels released monthly throughout 2016, alongside additional content such as "Elusive Targets", "Escalations", and user-created "Contracts".

This episodic approach allowed IO to refine each level while creating a live game that expanded over time, laying the foundation for the series' future.

In 2017, Square Enix parted ways with IO Interactive, allowing the studio to retain full control of the Hitman IP and become independent.

Released in November 2018 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, the game featured six large sandbox levels, a multiplayer mode, and post-launch content.

IO supported it with extensive downloadable content and free updates, adding new features, game modes, and maps.

[38][39][40] The main games in the Hitman franchise have received generally positive reviews for their level design and gameplay elements.

Jim Preston reviewed the PC version of the game for Next Generation, rating it three stars out of five, and calling it "A deeply flawed masterpiece that will, nonetheless, reward forgiving gamers.

However, many critics and many long time fans of the series disliked the game for its linear structure, as opposed to the open ended nature of previous installments.

[93] It received a mixed-positive review as noted by PlayStation Country, who gave the score a 7/10: "As a remaster, Hitman HD Enhanced Collection does deliver the best looking edition of these games to consoles.

However, the game received a positive reception with praise for the art, aesthetics, simple gameplay mechanics, and translation of Hitman to a mobile device.

The film, titled Hitman, is set in a separate continuity from the game series, directed by Xavier Gens and starring Timothy Olyphant as Agent 47.

Unlike the game wherein the hitmen are contracted from a range of backgrounds, the Organization instead recruits orphans and trains them from an early age.

[111] In May 2017, the Game Central reporters at Metro UK suggested that the shared universe was unlikely, pointing out that no progress had been made on any Just Cause, Deus Ex nor Thief films.

[citation needed] IO Interactive partnered with Dynamite Entertainment to create Agent 47: Birth of the Hitman, a six-issue comic book miniseries that ran from November 2017 to June 2018, and was later released as a graphic novel in 2019.