Hitman devs pull Conor McGregor content after court ruling
IO InteractiveHitman developer IO Interactive has ceased the sale of Conor McGregor content following the court ruling in the former UFC star’s sexual assault case.
On Friday, November 22, a civil court in Dublin ruled in favor of Nikita Hand, a woman who claimed MMA fighter Conor McGregor sexually abused her in December 2018.
In addition to being held liable for the assault, McGregor must pay Hand more than $250,000 in damages.
The ruling has already resulted in the athlete losing at least one brand deal, as Hitman creator IO Interactive has announced it will no longer continue their collaboration.
Hitman dev removes Conor McGregor content from sale
Through its official Hitman Twitter/X account, IO Interactive said that due to the court ruling, its collaboration with McGregor will end starting November 25.
All content related to the fighter’s appearance in Hitman will be removed from the game and storefronts “effective immiedately.”
IO’s statement reads in part, “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.”
A quick look through IO’s YouTube page shows the studio additionally cleared its channel of trailers for the McGregor-starring DLC.
Notably, this marks the first brand to drop McGregor after the Dublin court handed down its verdict.
IO InteractiveHitman World of Assassination added McGregor in June 2024 as an Elusive Target for The Disruptor mission. This free content tasked Agent 47 with eliminating Conor McGregor’s character, the titular Disruptor, before a major fight.
IO Interactive also sold Disruptor-themed content for $4.99 on digital storefronts in a DLC pack including a fur coat cosmetic, kettlebell, and resistance band items.
McGregor wasn’t the first celebrity to feature in Hitman as an Elusive Target. IO Interactive previously struck a deal with Dimitri Vegas, one-half of a popular Greek DJ duo. Additionally, Game of Thrones’ Sean Bean starred in The Undying DLC which launched in early 2024.