Conor McGregor–This is not the end yet after the lawsuit

Hitman videogame pulls Conor McGregor mission in light of civil suit verdict

IO Interactive, the developer behind the popular Hitman videogame series, has removed a promotional mission featuring MMA star Conor McGregor following recent legal developments.

The gaming studio had planned to release a limited-time “Elusive Target” mission starring a character modeled after McGregor in Hitman World of Assassination. The mission was scheduled to go live this week but has been pulled from the game’s content calendar.

The decision comes after McGregor was ordered to pay $10,000 in compensation by a Dublin court this week related to a civil suit. The gaming company has not provided specific details about why they removed the content.

Industry analysts suggest the timing of the removal indicates IO Interactive wanted to distance their product from any controversy. The mission would have featured players encountering a character bearing McGregor’s likeness in a virtual Dublin setting.

This isn’t the first time a gaming company has had to make last-minute content adjustments due to real-world events. Similar situations have occurred with other celebrity-inspired gaming content across the industry.

Neither IO Interactive nor McGregor’s representatives have commented on the mission’s removal. The game will continue to release other planned content according to its regular schedule.

The Hitman series, known for its stealth gameplay and elaborate missions, frequently features missions inspired by real-world personalities and events. The game remains one of IO Interactive’s most successful franchises.

Irish Call to boycott Conor McGregor brands after civil case defeat

The R*pe Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) has called on retailers to discontinue selling Conor McGregor’s branded products following a civil court jury finding him liable for assaulting Nikita Hand.

RCNI executive director Clíona Saidléar stated that the $270,000 damages awarded to Hand were a “drop in the ocean” considering McGregor’s wealth. “The companies making money from his products need to look at whether they want to align themselves with a man found by a civil jury to have SA-ed a woman,” she said.

“They need to stop promoting him and distance themselves… $270,000 won’t dent his finances, but the public can play a role here in expressing disapproval for anyone that tries make money with a man who engaged in that despicable behaviour.”

McGregor’s Proper No 12 brand — which he sold in 2023 but remains a spokesperson for — and his Forged Irish Stout products are widely available in retail outlets. During the three-week civil case, McGregor shared Instagram pictures of himself with Forged Irish Stout at a EuroSpar in the North, claiming over six million cans have been sold.

Earlier this year, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASAI) upheld a complaint against Forged Irish Stout for breaching advertising guidelines on sexualized content. The complaint centered on an Instagram post where the ASAI found “significant emphasis through the use of camera angles, on the female models’ cleavages and bottoms, and in some cases solely on these areas.”

The ASAI concluded there was no creative justification for this “other than to objectify the female models” and determined it was “an irresponsible manner in which to depict women.”

Hand expressed confidence in her victory, citing her truthfulness, despite the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) previously deciding against a criminal trial due to insufficient evidence. McGregor vehemently denied the accusations, labeling Hand a “vicious liar” and pledging to appeal the decision.

‘I’m just very overwhelmed with the support as well, now, that I have received.’

Asked if she expected to win the case, she replied: ‘To win? Yeah, yes, yes. Yes, because my story is true. I always believed in my heart that I would [win].’

Meanwhile McGregor tried running an ad for a goofy product and got destroyed in comments.