20 Trailers So Bad They KILLED Video Games

Rather than blasting everything in sight, Hitman relies on patience, blending in, and methodical planning, which has allowed IO Interactive's assassin saga to stand out over other flashy shooters.

For this reason, it's a wonder what was going through the studio's minds while promoting Hitman Absolution. Rather than emphasising the restrained action everybody is familiar with, the Attack of the Saints trailer opens with Agent 47 facing off against gun-toting female assassins draped in hyper-sexualised nun outfits. Unsurprisingly, the excessive gunplay and grindhouse tone was jarring for veterans of the franchise.

Stranger still, the trailer framed Agent 47 as a generic anti-hero, mowing down enemies in a way that resembled an action flick starring Jason Statham. Although this sort of gameplay appeals to a certain demographic, it wasn't for Hitman loyalists. For that reason, the three-minute clip raised fears the company was abandoning the series' stealthy identity to chase mainstream appeal.

While Absolution was more nuanced than the marketing suggested, the damage was done. After failing to reach its sales targets, IO Interactive wisely reverted to the old-school approach from here on out.