Hitman World of Assassination Xbox Playstation PC Gaming Stadia

[David76]

IO Interactive has announced the multiple game modes that will be available in Hitman III when it launches, which includes the return Elusive Targets, Contracts Mode, and more.

Get the details below, via IO Interactive.

Campaign

The Hitman III campaign mode will take you on a globetrotting adventure to sprawling sandbox locations and will deliver a dramatic conclusion to the "World of Assassination" trilogy. Agent 47 returns as a ruthless professional for the most important contracts of his entire career and when the dust settles, the world he inhabits will never be the same again.

Elusive Targets

The stakes are high and the clock is ticking. Elusive Targets are the ultimate Hitman challenge and are designed to offer an exciting, pulse-pounding experience. You need to track down a unique target, with little-to-no help from the HUD or Instinct and hatch a plan to eliminate them on the fly. Good luck. In Hitman III, we're making some changes to the Elusive Target formula that we'll reveal at a later date.

Escalations

Pretty much anything goes in Escalations. Expect your gameplay skills to be pushed to the max as new elements are thrown at you in each stage of the contract. Disguise restrictions, added security cameras and other kinds of other complications will be thrown your way. You'll need to overcome them all – and still manage to eliminate your targets – to call your mission a success!

Contracts Mode

Play-to-create is at the core of Contracts Mode. Choose your own targets, choose how to eliminate them and then make it all happen. Once you've completed the contract yourself, challenge friends to compete for the best score on the leaderboards. Powerful search tools let you find the exact type of Contract that you want to play and look out for Featured Contracts, where IO Interactive choose the best of the best to be played by the entire community.

Sniper Assassin

Dedicated to long-range assignments, Sniper Assassin tasks you with eliminating targets and guards without triggering an alarm, whilst completing challenges to boost your score multiplier. In Hitman III, Sniper Assassin can be played in existing maps as a single-player experience only. We are preparing to sunset the co-op servers in Hitman 2 before the launch of Hitman III and we'll share an exact timeline and a solution to the mode's multiplayer trophies in the coming months.

Ghost Mode

One-versus-one competitive multiplayer came to the Hitman franchise for the first time with Ghost Mode. With our focus currently on other areas of the "World of Assassination," Ghost Mode won't be featured in Hitman III and we have made the difficult decision to shut down the Ghost Mode servers for Hitman 2 on Monday, August 31, 2020. We have learnt a hell of a lot from Ghost Mode over the last two years and we'll be taking all of those learnings onboard for what we do in the future with regards to multiplayer.

We want to send a sincere thank you to all of our players who have enjoyed Ghost Mode over the last two years. We're looking forward to a few more matches online and raising a glass for Ghost Mode one final time. One other thing; The Phantom Suit, which can only be unlocked by playing Ghost Mode, will be added as an unlock in Hitman III.

Hitman III is due out for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia in January 2021.

 

[David76]

Hitman 3's March roadmap has been released, and developer IO Interactive has revealed a new Deluxe Escalation Contract and Easter Egg hunt will soon land in-game.

Seasonal Event: Berlin Egg Hunt
The first seasonal event for HITMAN 3 will be free for all players and sees Agent 47 heading to Berlin, where the location has been transformed for the Berlin Egg Hunt. This exclusive Club Hölle event has a strict dress code, so you'll need to dress to impress. Your knowledge of the club's exterior will be crucial because the event is at capacity when you arrive and all the action takes place in the less-explored surrounding areas.

The Berlin Egg Hunt will be playable from March 30 – April 12 for all HITMAN 3 players and brings a seasonal twist to the Berlin location with new decorations and graffiti, a series of unique objectives, new gameplay items to collect and use, unique targets and an unlockable suit to add to your permanent inventory. More details about the Berlin Egg Hunt event later this month.

Deluxe Escalation: Satu Mare Delirium
For owners of the Deluxe Edition or Deluxe Pack, the sixth and final Deluxe Escalation will be arriving soon. This one is inspired by Agent 47's deep past and the aftermath of the events in Codename 47.

Featured Contracts, Escalation and Elusive Target
This month, Easy Allies and Eurogamer are taking on the challenge of creating Featured Contracts in Chongqing and Mendoza respectively. Look out for their creations in the coming weeks. There is also an Elusive Target in Isle of Sgail and an Escalation in Berlin.

Game Update
Finally, IOI are getting ready to release another patch for the game to further improve the overall experience, resolve issues and prepare the game for new content that's currently in the works.

 

[David76]

IO Interactive has announced Hitman 3 a new seven-part premium expansion that takes you "deep into the mind" of Agent 47 called Seven Deadly Sins.

The first drop of the Hitman 3 DLC will focus on greed.



The content will feature new gameplay opportunities, distinct contracts, and unique sin-themed rewards based on the seven deadly sins.

Drops will be released over time through content packs with each focusing on a different sin. You can expect a sin-themed unlockable suit and at least one sin-themed item that can be used across the World of Assassination. Some items may also have unique properties.

The first content pack, Greed, will be available on March 30 and takes you back to Dubai. The focus is a new Escalation called The Greed Enumeration, which allows you to carry certain items over between each of the three stages. As well as the new Escalation, Greed includes the unlockable Rapacious Suit and two sin-themed items – the Greedy Little Coin and The Devil's Cane.

If interested in the content packs, each can be purchased individually or at once as part of the Seven Deadly Sins Collection.

As well as the Seven Deadly Sins Collection, Hitman 3 players can expect Escalations, Featured Contracts and Elusive Targets to be added to the game regularly as part of the free live content. This will include new Elusive Targets plus new seasonal events, such as the Berlin Egg Hunt. You can also expect the return of seasonal events from Hitman 1 and Hitman 2.

IO is now releasing regular content as part of a Season of Sin, instead of a monthly roadmap. So, instead of the April Roadmap, the Season of Greed will kick off on March 30, which starts the release of new content, both paid and free for existing owners.

A Season of Sin can last anywhere between four to six weeks and include Escalations, Featured Contracts, and Elusive Targets. The full content roadmap for what's included in the Season of Greed will be released in the first week of April.

 

[David76]

The next season for Hitman 3, Lust, which is part of the Seven Deadly Sins seasonal content, will arrive next week.

Hitman 3 players can participate in Act 4, the Season of Lust starting on July 27.




With the new season comes The Serpent's Tongue weapon, a piece of equipment called Serpent's Bite, a themed escalation contract, and of course a new suit – this time it's red. You will also be able to experience a new take on the Berlin location.

Alongside the above, the season will also bring about the Dartmoor Garden Show which will be permanent. The mission will be set on the Dartmoor map, which has been changed up and will feature four gardens with a randomized target each time you go into the map.

Dartmoor Garden Show will be released in August.

 

[David76]

IO Interactive has announced Hitman 3 will get another year of support, revealing it's the most successful game in the series

Get your briefcase together, pack your explosive rubber duckies up and get ready to off some rich tyrant, because Hitman 3 is coming back for more. In a new blog post, IO Interactive has announced that everyone's favourite skinhead assassin, Agent 47, will return in 2022 alongside "new maps, storylines, modes and ways to play".

Per the blog, and a new video (below), Hitman 3 Year 2 will start on 20 January 2022, with post-launch support confirmed for another 12 months thereafter, too.



Some of the announced upgrades to the game include ray-tracing (coming to the game on PC in 2022), VR (coming to PC in 2022, also) and the Elusive Targets Arcade.

This is positioned as 'one of the new ways to play'. "Prepare to take on the ultimate Elusive Target challenge in a change to the established formula in this fan-favourite game mode," says the blog. "All Elusive Target Arcade content will be a permanent addition to the game. Full details on how this game mode works will be shared in early January 2022."

There are no details on specifically what new maps, modes or other ways to play are just yet, but apparently, we're going to learn more about upcoming content (billed as "a major update") in Spring 2022. Given that IO Interactive inferred that we wouldn't be getting new maps in an interview earlier in the year, this kind of support is music to our ears.

IO Interactive also announced that the entire World Of Assassination trilogy (that's all the games in the reboot) has reached 50 million players in total and that Hitman 3 is now the most successful Hitman game of all time. Not bad, given that it's only been out for less than a year.

 

[David76]

Hitman 3 is entering year two, and today, IO Interactive provided information on what to expect out of it.

One of the more interesting bits to expect out of Year 2 is a new mode with roguelike elements called Freelancer which introduces strategic planning and a customizable safehouse.



Coming this spring, the mode features Agent 47's Safehouse. This playable space is customizable as it allows you to choose exactly what type of Hitman you are. As you progress through Freelancer, more areas of the Safehouse can be unlocked and new customization options will become available. The area can be decorated, there's a place for you to change your suit, you can have a firing range in it, and more. It is also an important area because it's where all of your pre-mission planning will take place.

Here, Agent 47 will have access to a 'mission hub' where he can view all of the currently available Freelancer campaigns, each one representing a criminal enterprise across the World of Assassination. You will be able to choose which campaign you pick. For each campaign, you need to choose the order you want to play the missions. After each mission, you'll return to the safehouse to restock, resupply, and strategically plan your next move. Whichever location you leave until last will be where you'll corner the Leader of the enterprise. You will then get paid and return to your safehouse.

Campaign missions have been reworked to fit the Freelancer mode. For example, locations will have new NPC types, that can either help or hinder your progress. Suppliers will offer various weapons and items and some NPCs will alert Leaders and make your job more difficult. In addition to these NPCs, there are several other elements that will make the Freelancer campaigns unique. You'll be able to find safes, hidden stashes and even other NPC Assassins.

Unlike the main Hitman campaign, gear in this mode will not be persistent, som anything you bring on a mission and don't bring back to the safehouse will be lost. Looking for gear at a Supplier is one way to restock your inventory, or even replace something you lost. In Freelancer, consumables will need to be restocked as there will be no supply from the ICA in this mode.

Along with Freelancer mode, players will have a new map to traverse. It's called Rocky, and IO promises more information about it will be revealed later this year.

Coming on January 20 a new game mode called Elusive Target Arcade. This brand new game mode takes the Elusive Target concept to the next level by mixing up the formula with new challenges and unlockable rewards. Don't worry though: it will still maintain the essence of what makes Elusive Targets fun to play.

What is interesting about it, is that each Arcade Contract will task you with taking down consecutive Elusive Targets. Each one must be completed to proceed to the next, and there are additional complications that will be added to the contract as well. Should you fail an Arcade Contract at any point, there will be a 12-hour lockout before you can retry it.

When Year 2 begins on January 20, the Arcade will become available with three Arcade Contracts, each one with Elusive Targets from a specific game in the World of Assassination trilogy. For example, the Ellipses Arcade Contract has three targets from Hitman 3, and two other Arcade Contracts will also be available on January 20 with targets from Hitman 1 and Hitman 2, respectively. More Arcade Contracts will be added throughout the year.

Also announced during the reveal was that Hitman VR is heading to PC on January 20. It will be available to all Hitman 3 owners. Full details on supported hardware will be revealed before launch.

Speaking of PC, the option to enable Ray Tracing on PC is coming later this year. With better reflections and better shadows, IO says that locations are going to look better than ever and the tech will be enabled for all locations in the World of Assassination trilogy. In addition, the game will also implement Intel's XeSS technology, which uses machine learning to deliver more performance with really nice image quality. The development team will also be implementing VRS (Variable Rate Shading) to boost PC performance by shading at different frequencies.

And finally, a Hitman Trilogy is coming on January 20. Featuring all games in a single package, it will be made available digitally for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Epic Games Store - as well as Steam, Xbox Game Pass, and PC Game Pass.

On Steam, Hitman 3 will feature full support for PC VR and all of the technical improvements mentioned above, cush as such as Ray Tracing, XeSS, and Variable Rate Shading. The team is currently working on Steam Achievements and Trading Cards, and will also include the Trinity Pack (the Hitman 3 pre-order bonus) for free with all editions of Hitman 3 for the first 30 days.

 

[Tom]

New location released for free.

 

[Son Of Jack]

IO have updated Hitman 3 to become Hitman: World of Assasinations, including a brand new game mode:

The big Hitman 3 update that includes the new Freelancer mode and turns the game into one that encompasses both Hitman and Hitman 2 is available now on PS5, PS4. Weighing in at anywhere from one to 8GB, this patch rebrands the series as Hitman - World of Assassination. All the content from the two previous rebooted entries is now housed under a single client. Maintenance on the game means it's not playable right now, but access will go live in the next few hours.

Hitman 3 owners get a free upgrade to this new edition, or newcomers can buy the whole collection .

Freelancer mode is what those already playing Hitman will want to boot up first, though. The new single player mode introduces roguelike elements as you go about eliminating targets and returning to a customisable safe house. Randomised mechanics will keep you on your toes, and there's not even a guarantee completing your objective will be possible. For a full list of patch notes and information on other changes made in January's 3.140 update, click the link.

I have started the new Freelancer mode and it's really good. Until you progress, you don't start with a full Arsenal of tools and weapons, so you are much more reliant on what you can find in the levels.

There are 8 contracts, each one targeting a different terrorist syndicate. There are 3 missions in each, with the final one being a Campaign with higher difficulty. The missions are set in locations from across Hitman 1 to 3.

The key is that if you fail or get killed, then you have to restart the whole contract. There is also no saving during the levels, so it's much more tense knowing you could undo a whole load of progress and time.

 

[Ghost]

Nice. Always been a fan of the Hitman games but I find it hard to replay too many times once you know the level design and the mechanics of where everyone goes. Will give this a spin though

 

[Tom]

Freelancer Mode of Hitman III is the game I always come back to again and again. Ridiculously unforgiving, frustrating and swear word inducing but strangely addictive.

If you have not played it....

All the Hitman maps available with randomly chosen ordinarily NPC's as targets leading to a "Leader" that you only have a vague description of and lookalikes added with different "Tells"

You start off with very minimal weapons/tools, silence pistols and others have to be found and taken over into later rounds from your Gun Wall or bought with the in game currency which you lose 1/2 of every time you fail a mission.

Great mode highly recommended.

 

[David76]

While IO Interactive is hard at work on 007 First Light, the team has yet to leave Hitman World of Assassination behind as it has just released a new update that gives players a chance to take out Mads Mikkelsen's Le Chiffre from Casino Royale. And yes, Mikkelsen is back once again as the Bond villain.