A few weeks prior to the E3 appearance of the latest Hitman spin-off for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, subtitled Absolution, there was a certain trailer which was launched in support of the game’s arrival at the three day event that seemed to offend a number of people due to its highly controversial nature. Now development boss of IO Interactive, Tore Blystad has addressed the provocative promo in an interview with IGN.com.
Referred to as “Attack of the Saints” the under-fire hype video for the Hitman Absolution, which will be released on November 12th, was slammed as being “misogynistic and fetishistic” and features games leading assassin Agent 47 in a motel bathroom washing his blood-soaked body after apparently being shot. As 47 gets cleaned up and suited up a troupe of women in Catholic nun outfits gather in the streets outside bearing arms. Lots of arms – we’re talking machine guns and missile launchers. As the assassin finishes getting into his trademark sharp suit the heavily gunned nuns line-up outside the motel and we see for the first time that these girls are also dressed to impress. Each in a variation of PVC nun gear, with mini-dresses, nylons stockings and suspenders – which is far from traditional!
The clearly non-practicing Catholic nuns approach the motel with all guns blazing, only to be outsmarted by the Hitman who approaches from behind and proceeds to take out the lovely but lethal ladies one by one. Blood is shed and the girls are left for dead as Agent 47 packs his car and leaves for his next target.
Despite the trailer being visually pleasing, in more ways than one, the “Attack of the Saints” promo upset many and the IO Interactive developer has had to speak out in defence of the company’s cheeky choice of advertisement. Blystad says “Of course we understand, this has been a very big topic for us and we’ve been reading as much as we could of the articles and responses. We were surprised that it turned into such a huge topic. We just wanted to make something cool, it wasn’t the intention to stir up anything.
He added “It really came as a big surprise to us how it all went down. It was never the intention to provoke people with it.” The Game Director behind Hitman Absolution also apologised and claimed it was never IO Interactive’s intention to cause such outrage.
For those interested and if you’re not prone to offense by awesome trailers we’ve hooked you up with the Hitman Absolution “Attack of the Saints” promo clip below!
