Agent 47

Agent 47 is a fictional character, the protagonist and the player character of the Hitman video game franchise, developed by IO Interactive. He has been featured in all games of the series, as well as various spin-off media, including two theatrically released films, a series of comics, and two novels. He has been voiced by actor David Bateson in every main entry in the series since its inception in 2000. A monotone contract killer without empathy, the player controls 47 as he travels around the world to execute hits on various criminals that are assigned to him by Diana Burnwood, his handler within the fictional International Contract Agency (ICA). The character takes his name from being the 47th clone created by various wealthy criminals from around the world, in the hopes of creating an army of obedient soldiers to carry out their commands. As one of the last clones to be created, 47 is among the most skillful, and manages to escape his creators before finding employment with the ICA. Agent 47 has been positively received by critics for his moral ambiguity and nuanced characterization. Alongside other gaming characters with similar traits, such as Lara Croft, Sam Fisher, and Solid Snake, he is considered one of the most popular and significant characters in video games. Concept and creation According to Jacob Andersen, lead designer of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Agent 47 went from being "a mean old hairy guy" to having "hi-tech glasses" before getting to his current design. More inspiration came from "comic books, Hong Kong movies" and other similar media. According to game director Rasmus Højengaard, the idea of a clone whose future is decided by the people that created him intrigued the Hitman team. He felt that the idea of creating the "ultimate assassin" by cloning evolved with the character before the first game was completed. The character of 47 is voiced in the video game series by David Bateson, whom the appearance of 47 is based on.