Square Enix Montreal appears to have offered players the very first glimpse of the next Hitman game - just days after Hitman Absolution went on sale.

A piece of concept art, presumed to be taken from the next Hitman game, was posted to the developer's website earlier this month and appears to show Agent 47 strolling into a courthouse.

In the foreground, a news reporter is seen talking into a camera, as riot police and men in suits seal off the surrounding area.

The Square Enix Montreal logo is featured in the bottom right hand corner.

Square Enix Montreal is currently developing the next game in the Hitman franchise, presumed to be due for release at some point in 2013.

The studio, which opened earlier this year, is led by ex-Square Enix London Studios GM Lee Singleton. Numerous IO Interactive developers are said to have joined the team.

IO Interactive and Square Enix Montreal will alternate development duties on the franchise going forward, something Hitman Absolution director Tore Blystad compares to the way Treyarch and Infinity Ward handle Call of Duty.

"You have an IP that has been developed. They will feed off each other, as well as [have] some things that stand out," he said. "I think with these big franchises it takes a long time to develop just one game. If you can, work a little bit in parallel at least and help each other out."

Hitman Absolution, developed by IO Interactive, released last Tuesday. The game debuted at no. 2 in the UK All-Formats Top 40 chart.

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Source: square-enix-montreal.com