Hitman: Absolution‘s developers IO Interactive, much like Agent 47 himself, seem to be haunted by memories of their past. The PVC-clad nuns featured in the ‘Attack of the Saints‘ trailer lead to a controversy that has in turn, as revealed during an interview with Eurogamer, led to some changes within the game itself.
In a recent interview at Gamescom, Hitman: Absolution‘s director Tore Blystad spoke about what they had learnt from the fallout surrounding the footage and what they had changed within the level as a result:
“We learned from the trailer that we really needed to give these characters some context and some backstory. We’re working within the game – within that level – to build these characters up before you meet them. That way you know what you’re getting and you aren’t put off by them.”
He also reiterated that no one internally had predicted the negative publicity that would follow the trailer’s release, and that if they had known they “would have done it in a different way”.
Of course, it wasn’t just the characters that left many questioning the trailer. The element of stealth that the series is renown for was notable, and damaging, by its absence. Blystad maintains that the Saints fit into the Grindhouse-style of the game, and points out that stealth is just one of the approaches players can take:
“The Saints trailer is based on a level within the game. One way to go about that level is to go in all-guns blazing, but of course, it’s not the smartest way.
I was one of those that was disappointed, as opposed to offended, by the original trailer, but granting villains of any variety more context is almost never a bad thing. I am, however, somewhat uncomfortable with the masses dictating the content of Hitman: Absolution.
Listening to your fans is admirable, but pandering to them could lead to the assassination of the series.