Another game that would be ok as a new IP but instead ruins a loved one
Gotta chase that Call of Duty money.
This has always been a problem with video games, only its gotten much worse lately. In previous generations you just had to copy a popular genre or game mechanic. But now you have to BE a popular game. You can't even be just a FPS these days; it has to be a Call of Duty clone specifically.
Hence a game like Hitman can't just be made, even if it would make money. No, that would be too much of an opportunity cost. Why let IO make a real Hitman game when they could instead be striving towards that hypothetical mass market title that will save Square! And you can't make a new IP either because no one pays attention to new IPs this late in the generation.
I imagine the next gen Hitman game being made is even worse
