The developers of IO Interactive have just shown fans again with their new James Bond game how good video games can be. But despite the success, they are now receiving a harsh rejection from Xbox.
What kind of game is this? The developers at IO Interactive have also been working on a new “online fantasy role-playing game” alongside the development of their action game based on James Bond, which suspiciously sounded like an MMORPG or at least an MMO-lite.
So far, very little has been known about the title; there was only a description that the title was a passion project for the developers and that they wanted to create a whole new brand. As stated on IOI.dk:
A world and a game built from the ground up to entertain players and be expanded upon for many years to come. […] This idea – that a diverse group of people with different abilities and strengths can work together and achieve more than the sum of their parts – is what inspires us. It inspires the fantasy world we are creating – and it inspires the way we create it.
IO Interactive on ioi.dk
Here you can watch the trailer for the last game from the developers:
Setback despite success
What has happened to the game now? Project Fantasy is still in development. The developers have just thrilled fans with their James Bond game and shown that they can do more than just Hitman. The game has sold millions of copies and is therefore a huge success for the company.
However, that doesn’t seem to be enough for Xbox. They originally wanted to publish the new Project Fantasy and were correspondingly involved with a lot of money. Now, however, according to a report by Bloomberg, the company has made a withdrawal and is no longer participating in the costs.
What are the consequences? For the developers at IO Interactive, this has serious consequences. They write in a post on X.com:
This means that we must adapt to this new reality and its short-term consequences, including personnel decisions – that is exactly what is happening right now as we write this update – and we are fully committed to supporting those affected during this difficult transition.
At the same time, it should not mean the end for Project Fantasy. The developers of IO Interactive explain that they remain committed to the game in the future and that it will one day see the light of day.
It is clear, however, that the cuts resulting from Xbox’s withdrawal cannot be ignored, and it is likely that we will have to wait longer for a release.
If the developers deliver on Project Fantasy as strongly as they did with Hitman and James Bond, then this “online fantasy role-playing game” could please many fans. Do you think the action-story makers from IO can also build an MMO? Feel free to write it in our comments. Why the developers are not making the next James Bond game is explained here: Amazon closes the door on IO Interactive after the huge success of 007 First Light: The next James Bond games already have a new developer
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