About Hitman
Hitman is a video game franchise that focuses on stealth and smart infiltration, developed by the Danish developer IO Interactive. It was previously published by Square Enix and Eidos Interactive. Several chapters of Hitman games have been released on many platforms such as PC, consoles and on mobile.
The main protagonist of the series, Agent 47, worked as a former hitman for the International Contract Agency (ICA) which has its own symbol. Agent 47 specifically however, has his own insignia.
The story behind the Hitman logo
This former Hitman logo became internationally famous for its sublime design since the release of the first Hitman game in 2000. The strong visual identity design consists of two mirroring figures, akin to shurikens which are a large part of a ninja’s vast repertoire of stealth weaponry. Half of the logo is elevated above the left side, indicating assertiveness and power.
In the deeper realms of this seemingly plain logo, lies a lily flower in its negative space. Don’t see it? Take another look. Lilies are most commonly symbolic to devotion or purity, which Agent 47 may seem to have in his many disguises.
The origins of the symbol in the Hitman logo and its history remains mostly unknown, save for being associated with Dr. Otto Wolfgang Ort-Meyer, one of Hitman’s five genetic fathers; and Hitman himself, on their belongings. The insignia itself is a laboriously modified “Fleur de Lys”, a stylized lily which is used as a decorative symbol or design, often placed on a casket at funerals. Much dissimilar to its native lily flower which often appears at weddings. The cross between these two symbols works perfectly to represent a deadly assassin such as Agent 47.
New representation
From Codename 47 all the way to Blood Money, countless artworks and wallpapers featured the famous Hitman icon. Everything that remotely belonged to 47 was marked with the logo, such as his laptop, briefcase, and even his weapons. More predominantly, the insignia was present on the cover of each game and was a large part of the marketing for each game.
However, starting with Hitman (2016), IO Interactive elected to separate Agent 47 from his classic Hitman logo and go with a more simplistic design. The new minimalistic look of neat sans-serif in a rectangle met a mixed reception from core fans of the franchise. Many liked the nostalgia and symbolism of the old logo, but on the other hand many fans welcomed the change as the former logo appeared to be dated, and did not match the direction in which the soft reboot of the Hitman franchise was headed in.
This new logo boasts its ferocity in its simplicity. “HITMAN” comes off as more of a bold statement than a background afterthought. It feels more personal, like a name tag for Agent 47, representing his power and professionalism in the workplace. The sharp angles and straight lean letters are all business, no messing around. If the previous insignia represented Agent 47 well, then this logo praises a HITMAN title like no other.
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