Hitman Developer Drops Conor McGregor Amid $250K Civil Assault Verdict

Conor McGregor’s legal troubles are making waves yet again. On November 22, a jury in Ireland found the MMA superstar civilly liable for sexual assault in a case brought forward by Nikita Hand, stemming from allegations of an incident following a 2018 Christmas party. The verdict has not only hit McGregor financially—ordering him to pay $250,000 in damages—but is also causing ripples in his professional partnerships.

The fallout was swift. IO Interactive, the developer behind the popular Hitman video game series, announced it would sever ties with McGregor. Known as an “elusive celebrity target” in the game, McGregor’s presence is being removed following the court ruling. The company made their stance clear in a statement shared on social media:

“In light of the recent court ruling regarding Conor McGregor, IO Interactive has made the decision to cease its collaboration with the athlete, effective immediately. We take this matter very seriously and cannot ignore its implications. Consequently, we will begin removing all Conor McGregor-related content from the game.”

McGregor, however, is not going down quietly. Just a day after the verdict, the outspoken fighter took to social media in an explosive tirade, slamming the jury’s decision and reiterating his innocence. Addressing the case on X/Twitter, McGregor wrote, “Two men falsely accused. One vindicated, the other soon to be! Congrats James Lawrence on absolute exoneration! It is absolutely disgraceful what they put you through here. Disgraceful!”

He also promised to appeal the decision, claiming critical evidence was ignored during the trial. “Every single statement of persons present on the night was ignored. On we fight! Justice and truth will prevail! Appeal! Appeal! Appeal!”

The civil case had co-defendant James Lawrence, who was cleared of all liability, further fueling McGregor’s frustration. McGregor highlighted this in his posts, comparing Lawrence’s exoneration to his own liability ruling.

With McGregor’s appeal already in motion, this case is far from over. However, the immediate backlash, including IO Interactive cutting ties, signals that his public image continues to take a hit.