IO Interactive A/S, part of Square Enix Europe, has confirmed the next entry in the Hitman series is scheduled for release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC in 2012.

Hitman Absolution follows Agent 47, a cold blooded assassin, who takes on his most dangerous contract to date. Betrayed by those he trusted and hunted by the police, he finds himself at the centre of a dark conspiracy and must embark on a personal journey through a corrupt and twisted world, in his search for the truth.

“For the first time we are taking Agent 47 on a personal journey which allows us to explore other parts of the Hitman fantasy, ” said Tore Blystad, game director, IO Interactive. “This is both a familiar and yet significantly different experience to any of the other Hitman games, something our silent assassins will relish as well as those who are new to the Hitman world.”

Showcasing IO Interactive’s new proprietary Glacier 2 technology, the game has been built from the ground up. The developer claims that Hitman Absolution will have a "cinematic story, distinctive art direction and highly original game design." As for the gameplay, we don't know much about that yet, though the developer has said that it will feature classic Hitman gameplay while introducing a number of new gameplay features.

We should hear more at E3 next month.