IO Interactive, Dev of Hitman, Ends Partnership with Conor McGregor After Conviction
The developers of Hitman are ending their partnership with Conor McGregor and have withdrawn from the sale of DLC featuring the Elusive Target played by the convicted MMA fighter.
The developers of Hitman 3 have severed ties with Conor McGregor and removed all DLC related to him. IO Interactive studio issued a statement regarding the MMA fighter after the court verdict on rape.
On November 22, McGregor lost a legal battle with a woman who accused him of brutal rape in 2018. Under the ruling, the Irish mixed martial arts fighter must pay her almost 250,000 euros in compensation (via Associated Press).
The court's decision put the IO Interactive team in an unfavorable situation due to the so-called Elusive Targets – a series of special assignments issued since the first installment of Hitman. In these assignments, players undertake contracts to eliminate exceptionally difficult-to-catch targets. In many of them, famous actors and other celebrities - including Conor McGregor - take on roles.
The MMA fighter appeared in the ninth Elusive Target to the third part – The Disruptor – which was released in late June 2024. However, in light of the outcome of the legal battle, IO Interactive announced that it would immediately terminate its partnership with McGregor and remove all content related to him from its distribution titles.
The Disruptor is no longer available for purchase on the Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, and Steam. The user reviews on Steam are dominated by comments about the MMA fighter's court loss just prior to its removal.
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