Long time Hitman developer IO Interactive has announced a new fantasy RPG — aptly named 'Project Fantasy' for now — as the team ramps up its hiring process to get the game made. While this is being treated as a brand-new game announcement (albeit in a very early form), some are beginning to speculate that this is what was once known as 'Project Dragon' - a rumoured Xbox exclusive.
Back in 2021, Windows Central reported that the Danish developer was building a new internal team for "codename Project Dragon", a game that the outlet claimed "could be in partnership with Xbox". It was all quite vague at the time, but yeah, WC sources claimed that IO and Xbox were in talks about exclusivity on that project.
That game was ultimately never announced, but fast-forward roughly two years and the same developer has announced a project that sounds very similar to those old reports. Is 'Project Fantasy' the same as 'Project Dragon'? For now, we don't know and maybe never will, given that the old reported Xbox project was never officially revealed.
Anyway, Project Fantasy is real, with developer IO interactive "building a new world, a new IP – an online fantasy RPG. A world and a game built from the core to entertain players and expand for many years to come."
"We are embarking on a new adventure! One that expands our creativity, our capabilities, and in some sense our identity. We are building a new world, a new IP – an online fantasy RPG. A world and a game built from the core to entertain players and expand for many years to come. It feels familiar, yet at the same time IOI is going on a journey unlike any we have been on before."