10 Video Games That Saved Franchises From The Brink Of Doom
6. Hitman (2016)
Franchise on the brink? After the cult triumph of Blood Money, expectations were sky-high for Agent 47’s next assignment. But Hitman: Absolution didn’t just miss the mark - it damn near shot the franchise in the foot. Gone were the sprawling sandboxes, creative kill chains, and playful experimentation. In their place? Narrow corridors, scripted stealth, and a weird attempt to turn 47 into a grumpy, bald Nathan Drake.
Sure, the presentation was slick, and the story had ambition, but Absolution felt like a game trying to be everything except Hitman. Longtime fans were alienated, and newcomers had no idea what made the series special in the first place. It looked like curtains for the barcode assassin.
Saved by: Hitman (2016)
IO Interactive did what so few studios manage - they listened. They went back to the drawing board, embraced what made Hitman unique, and delivered a masterclass in sandbox stealth. 2016’s Hitman brought massive, intricate levels full of disguises, traps, story paths, and wildly creative kills (exploding golf ball? Poison sushi? Absolutely).
The episodic format encouraged replayability and experimentation - each mission was a playground of murder waiting to be solved in dozens of ways. It wasn’t just a comeback - it was a reinvention. And with Hitman 2 and Hitman 3 rounding out the “World of Assassination” trilogy, the franchise is now in its best-ever form (especially in VR!).