Hitman Facebook App Removed Hours After Debut

Square Enix has reportedly yanked a Facebook app designed to help promote its latest video game Hitman: Absolution, according to GameSpot.

The app, entitled Hire Hitman, allowed users to send out “hits” on their friends and family courtesy of the social networking site. However, controversy soon erupted when it was revealed the app pulled info from user accounts in order to send them death threats.

Square Enix released a statement about the app earlier today:

“Earlier today we launched an app based around ‘Hitman: Absolution’ that allowed you to place virtual hits on your Facebook friends Those hits would only be viewable by the recipient and could only be sent to people who were confirmed friends. We were 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.”

According to Rock Paper Shotgun, the Hitman Facebook app allowed the user to supply a motive for the fictional hit. Some of the reasons for the contact killing included “her ginger hair,” “her muffin top,” “her hairy legs,” and “her small t*ts.”

Since Square Enix doesn’t want to be associated with a program that essentially allows bullying at the click of button, the company decided it was in everyone’s best interest if the app was removed.

Oddly enough, a number of the remarks made about the person you want killed are specifically aimed at women. Although I’m sure there were some insults designed with men in mind, the female taunts seem particularly mean-spirited.

Hitman: Absolution, meanwhile, was released for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and PC on November 20. Considering the game has generated its own fair share of controversy, it’s unclear what the marketing team was thinking when they put this thing together.

What do you think about Square Enix’s Hitman Facebook app? Did the company cross a line with this game?