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The house that made Agent 47 is branching out.

Square Enix is certainly doing its best to come out swinging as a publisher of Western games. Since the acquisition of developer Eidos and the success of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, SE has gone on record as having a plan to have ten core franchises, many of which are Western made titles. Hitman is on that list, and while the franchise creator IO Interactive is hard at work on Hitman: Absolution, the developer will be working on a new IP after work is completed on their contract killer simulator.

While IO will be working on a future Hitman project after Absolution, the newly formed Square Enix Montreal will take the reins on the popular franchise. This gives IO the chance to flex their muscles and work on a wholly new franchise. Studio lead Niels Jorgensen says that this is important to keeping spirits high in a development studio. “When people work on the same IP for some time, I believe that there’s a sort of creative drain,” he said in an interview with Gamasutra. “Thankfully we’ve managed to make sure we keep focusing on different IPs and keeping people fresh.”

Though best known for the Hitman series, IO Interactive has branched out numerous times over the years. The critically acclaimed Freedom Fighters was released for the Xbox, PS2, and Gamecube to tepid sales, but it has become something of a cult hit in the years since. The studio has also released two games in the Kane and Lynch series, as well as the kid-friendly game Mini Ninjas.

Hitman: Absolution is expected to be released in 2012, the same year as Tomb Raider, another tent pole release in Square Enix’s new strategy.