An upcoming Xbox console exclusive: IO Interactive’s original IP

An upcoming original IP from Hitman studio IO Interactive could be an Xbox console exclusive. This information comes from internal Microsoft documents that have been shared as part of the ongoing FTC vs. Microsoft trial over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

The documents, which assess IO as a potential acquisition target, reveal that the studio is working on “Project Dragon,” an RPG shooter for PC and Xbox Series X|S. Xbox Game Studios is listed as the publisher for the title.

In April 2021, Windows Central first reported that IO had partnered with Microsoft to develop a new “dragon-themed IP,” which was expected to be published as a first-party Xbox exclusive.

IO Interactive confirmed in February that it is indeed working on an online fantasy RPG. Although unconfirmed, it is likely that this is the same project mentioned in the Microsoft documents.

Building a New World: The Online Fantasy RPG

“We are building a new world, a new IP – an online fantasy RPG,” IO Interactive announced. “A world and a game built from the core to entertain players and expand for many years to come.”

The announcement continued, “For many, this journey is also a deeply personal one that began long before we started making games for a living – and it started with the fantasy genre. From the ‘Fighting Fantasy’ books compelling you to choose your path, alone, against wizards, lizards, and thief kings. To the togetherness, camaraderie, agony, and delight found around the tabletop.”

“For some, it meant taking the role of a game master: Part storyteller, part AI opponent, part guide, part villain. For everyone around that table, it meant creativity, imagination, building a world together, and a shared goal in creating a great game experience.”

“This idea – that a diverse group of individuals with different skills and strengths can work together and become more than the sum of their parts – is what inspires us. It inspires the fantasy world we are building – and it inspires how we build it.”

IO Interactive is also currently working on an officially licensed James Bond game, under the working title Project 007.