Hitman Trilogy

Primarily from a third-person perspective and set in a sandbox environment, the core objective of Hitman is to kill an assigned target or targets. Certain levels will include auxiliary objectives, such as retrieving information or destroying a dangerous virus. The game allows the player different options to accomplish these tasks. Players can perform precise or indiscriminate assassinations; the games encourage players to implement a subtle approach to completing the levels, although this is not necessary.

In 1998, following the dissolution of Danish game developer Zyrinx, its remaining team members regrouped to form Reto-Moto. This team later established IO Interactive (IO), which would go on to create its first intellectual property, the Hitman series. The inaugural game, Hitman: Codename 47, marked IO's debut in the gaming industry. Initially, the studio had planned to develop a straightforward shooter titled Rex-Domonius, but the concept was ultimately abandoned by Reto-Moto.

The creative vision for Hitman: Codename 47 was led by Danish designer Jacob Andersen, who drew inspiration from Hong Kong action films. Andersen explained, "We decided to do a quick game inspired by Hong Kong action movies... Basically, a guy in a suit blasting away in a Chinese restaurant." This initial idea evolved into the story of Agent 47, a genetically engineered clone assassin.

The main games in the Hitman franchise have received generally positive reviews for their level design and gameplay elements. In particular the level of freedom offered to players and the unique approach to stealth gameplay. The series has received multiple awards and nominations, including several Game of the Year awards. It has been commercially successful, selling over 15 million copies worldwide as of 2015. The World of Assassination trilogy reached over 50 million players as of November 2021.

Hitman: Codename 47 received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic. Jim Preston reviewed the PC version of the game for Next Generation, rating it three stars out of five, and calling it "A deeply flawed masterpiece that will, nonetheless, reward forgiving gamers." Codename 47 received a "Silver" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), indicating sales of at least 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom. In April 2009, Square Enix revealed that Codename 47 had surpassed half a million sales globally. The game sold over 500,000 copies and received mixed reviews due to its controls and difficulty.