Hitman: Absolution publisher Square Enix has taken down a promotional, Facebook-connected online app that let users target their friends for fake "hits." The app posted virtual threats to their Facebook wall, complete with video of their supposed assassination.

Square Enix announced the launch of the promotion this morning, saying the app allows users to "create a personalized video experience that lets fans put a 'hit' on their mates on Facebook." As many sites noted before the app was pulled, a drop-down list in the app provided a number of potential reasons for the virtual assassination, such as "farts too much" or "cheating on their partner." Users could also pick from a number of identifying features for the target, ranging from "awful make-up" and "ginger hair" to "tiny penis" or "small tits."

The app would then post to the target's Facebook, telling them, "I hope you get killed by a hitman!" The post linked to a video showing Agent 47 loading up the target on his laptop before taking them out with a sniper rifle. Images from the target's Facebook photo stream were even integrated into the video to serve as those final "life flashing before your eyes" moments.

A Square Enix representative told Ars Technica that the app's virtual hits were only viewable by the intended recipient; they were not made public. Still, the company said it now realizes it was "wide of the mark with the app, and following feedback from the community we decided the best thing to do was remove it completely and quickly. This we’ve now done. We’re sorry for any offense caused by this."

That's a complete 180 from the press release announcing the promotion, which defended the app as an over-the-top joke. "Despite its seemingly dark heart, the experience has its tongue firmly in its cheek, allowing users to input whatever ridiculous reason they want for their friend to be terminated," the statement read. "Whether it's their bad taste in clothes or inability to get a round of drinks in, the target is left in no doubt as to their 'crime.'"

This isn't the first time Square Enix has faced controversy for its promotion of Hitman: Absolution. Back in May, the company was slammed for a trailer showing a group of scantily clad, heavily armed nuns as the targets of some brutal violence. Square Enix later apologized, saying it was surprised by the controversy it generated.

Ralph Creative, the ad agency responsible for the app, has previously done work on games including Borderlands 2 and TV shows including Breaking Bad.