Hitman Developer IO Interactive Ends Collaboration with Conor McGregor
Following a recent Irish High Court ruling that found MMA fighter Conor McGregor guilty of assaulting and raping a woman in December 2018, Hitman developer IO Interactive has decided to cut ties with the athlete.
In a statement released on social media, IO Interactive announced that they are no longer associated with McGregor and will be removing content featuring him from their storefronts, starting immediately.
“In light of the recent court ruling regarding Conor McGregor, IO Interactive has made the decision to cease its collaboration with the athlete, effective immediately,” the developer stated. “We take this matter very seriously and cannot ignore its implications. Consequently, we will begin removing all content featuring Mr. McGregor from our storefronts starting today.”
McGregor’s voice and likeness were used in Hitman for a character named The Disruptor, who was previously featured as one of the game’s Elusive Targets.
The Disruptor mission had returned to the game earlier this month for a limited time and was set to be playable until Sunday, 8th December. Additionally, an extra Disruptor DLC pack offers players permanent access to The Ostentatious, an arcade contract featuring The Disruptor, along with a new outfit, items, and cosmetics for the freelancer house.
Following the Irish jury’s decision last week, McGregor was ordered to pay at least €248k (£206k) in damages for sexually assaulting a woman in a Dublin hotel six years ago. McGregor has expressed his intention to appeal the verdict.