[GameSpot] - MGM Talks Hitman Dev's James Bond Game - "We're Not Here For A Quick Buck"

[343iBot]

Hitman developer IO Interactive is making a James Bond video game as one of its next projects, and now higher-ups from film studio MGM has shed some light on how they're thinking about the game and what they're hoping to achieve. Speaking to GI.biz, MGM's global consumer products boss Robert Marick said the goal is to make a quality product instead of looking for a "quick buck."

"When you look at James Bond, for instance, the opportunity to be able to tell an origin story and express that in terms of the [quality] that fans expect, we needed a console partner to be able to help tell that story," he said. "We're not here for a quick buck, we're here for what extends the brand."

MGM's Matthew Suser, who now works at Amazon as part of the MGM/Amazon buyout, said the aim with IO's new 007 game is to make something that feels authentic to James Bond.

"It's also about authenticity, and we want to make sure that fans are happy with the experiences that we and our partners are providing," Suser said. We really look for partners in development and publishing that are talented but also understand the IP and brand in a way that will flourish through the gameplay. Gameplay is king, the experience is king, and we want to make sure we're providing great experiences with or without the IP. The IP should really make the game sing at the end of the day."

As for why MGM is in business with IO, Suser said the studio's experience in stealth and agent-focused games led to the collaboration coming to fruition.

"It all comes down to identifying the right development partner. IO is the authority in stealth and agent-oriented games, so they truly were a dream come true in terms of studios to partner with on James Bond," Suser said. "They have a deep, deep passion for the IP, and they're extraordinarily talented. It's a match made in heaven, IO Interactive and James Bond, and we're working on something we think is going to be very special for fans."

Hitman's James Bond game appears to be in the early stage of development, and a job listing suggests it will be a third-person game. As announced previously, the untitled game will tell an original origin story for the British superspy.

Amazon acquired MGM in a $8.45 billion deal, bringing the James Bond, RoboCop, Legally Blonde, Tomb Raider movie franchises into the fold. MGM's next big release is the 007 movie No Time To Die, which releases in October. A documentary about Daniel Craig called Being James Bond debuts on September 7.

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