Hitman 3 – Year 2, a fresh year of DLC and content for the final game in the World of Assassination trilogy has now launched on all platforms. Patch 3.100 for the game is available – the patch notes are at to the bottom of this post – and the game releasing on Steam for the first time. The full trilogy has also come to Xbox Game Pass on both console and PC. Elusive Target Arcade The most significant free addition is Elusive Target Arcade, a new take on the single-shot Elusive Target game mode introduced in the 2016 game. Now you have not just one level to try, but a string of targets to try and take down in succession, each with different objectives and challenges. Completing Elusive Target Arcade will bring exclusive rewards for the full game. Interestingly, this ditches the one-shot format. The series of missions in Elusive Target Arcade will be permanently available within Hitman 3, though you can only try each mission one time per day. More missions will be added over time. Hitman Freelancer Another new feature is Hitman Freelancer, coming in Spring 2022. This gives you a customisable house that will be your base of operations. You will be able to take on a string of missions across the full World of Assassination, letting you choose different threats to the world. You have to start off at the lowest rungs, taking out the lower echelons of a criminal organisation, building up to taking down the overall leader in a final mission – you’ll have to figure out who they are, as well! It’s all remixed ever time you play, changing depending on which missions you choose to take on early. There will be more planning involved as you have to purchase gear from vendors that you will use up or lose if you fail. VR and Ray Tracing for PC PC players will also receive full VR support having been a PSVR exclusive since Hitman 3’s launch. There will also be ray tracing added for the PC, variable rate shading and Intel’s new XeSS upscaling technology. Steam & Xbox Game Pass Hitman 3 will arrive on Steam after a year of Epic Games Store exclusivity. For the release, IOI are bundling the entire trilogy together into one bundle for newcomers to purchase. That trilogy release will also be added to Xbox Game Pass for both console and PC today. New levels teaser sneak peak… Finally, IO Interactive teased a new location that will be coming later in 2022. Check it out… Hitman 3 was one of the first major game releases of 2021. It wraps the stylish and inventive trilogy perfectly, having scored an 8 out of 10 in our review: Charting the series’ progress since that 2016 Paris debut has been a fascinating journey. IO have learned a lot over the past five years and that really shows in Hitman 3. It’s a flashier, more fluid evolution of IO’s original template – a rewarding conclusion to one of the most unique video game franchises around, and one we’ll continue playing for many weeks and months to come. Hitman 3 is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, as well as streaming to Google Stadia and Nintendo Switch. Here are the patch notes: HITMAN 3 RESOLVED ISSUES (Year 2 Patch: 3.100) PS5hhhhhhhh We’ve resolved an issue where audio could abruptly cut out or become muted during gameplay. This issue was especially prominent on PlayStation 5. Xbox Access We’ve resolved an issue where some Xbox players could intermittently lose access to content. After an investigation, we’ve identified that players who owned a lot of different Hitman content on the same console were most likely to be affected. Improved Stability We’ve made back-end changes to ensure a smoother online experience and reduce the number of ‘disconnection’ issues encountered by players. Epic Achievements We’ve added support for Epic Achievements and Avatars. More details can be found on the Epic Games Blog. Windows PC Support In addition to Epic Games Store and Steam, HITMAN 3 and HITMAN Trilogy are now available on Windows PC (Microsoft). Players on this platform (including PC Game Pass players) will have access to their existing HITMAN 3 progression that was earned playing HITMAN 3 on any Xbox console. That progression will also be synchronised between Xbox consoles and the Windows PC (Microsoft) versions of the game. Also, any Contracts created on this PC platform will be shared with Xbox console players and vice versa. These features are possible because Xbox Live is the central service that brings the two platforms together. Shoulder Swap Controller We’ve implemented a permanent fix for the ‘Shoulder Swap’ option, so that it’s now available when playing in Offline Mode with a controller. Target Down Dialogue We’ve implemented richer NPC dialogue that triggers when certain NPCs discover a target or VIP has been pacified, eliminated, or otherwise hurt. They will refer to them by name in several ways, such as when reporting their knowledge to a guard. Lens Flare Reduction We’ve resolved a handful of issues that could result in an excessively strong lens flare when certain light sources met reflective surfaces. 2 Easy 2 Silent We’ve tweaked the unlock conditions for the ‘Silent Assassin’ trophy so that it unlocks more consistently according to the requirements. Challenge Display We’ve fixed an issue that could cause the menu UI to incorrectly display the mission that a challenge could be completed on. Now, the game will be more accurate when displaying what mission is best suited to complete a given challenge. Glass Smash We’ve resolved an issue where several glass panes were missing SFX when being smashed. HUD Flash We’ve resolved an issue where some HUD icons and messages would repeatedly flash during gameplay, depending on specific player actions. We Use This To Fix We’ve resolved an issue where the Versatile Assassin challenge on ‘The Author’ (H1 Patient Zero campaign mission) did not unlock, despite completing all the requirements. To ensure that the challenges are completed and tracked accurately, we recommend players complete all objectives and end the mission. Dubai: Deadly Elevator We’ve resolved an issue where NPCs that were attacked and thrown down an elevator shaft in Dubai would be pacified rather than killed. Now, only death awaits. Dartmoor: Outdoors, Indoors We’ve resolved an issue where 47 could see through a specific wall from outside the mansion in Dartmoor. Chongqing: You’re Dead to Me We’ve made changes to several areas in the Chongqing, so that any NPCs that find themselves outside of the playable area are classified as ‘killed’ and the bodies are ‘hidden’. Chongqing: Table, No Table We’ve tweaked the properties of an ‘invisible table’ in the Gluttony Gobble Escalation. Basically, it’s gone. Mendoza: No Soup For You We’ve resolved an issue where Agent 47 would be unable to move without being spotted, when starting as the Asado Chef. Mendoza: Overly Persistent Prompt We’ve removed a ‘prompt’ icon from near one of the persistent shortcuts in Mendoza. Mendoza: Rich Harvest We’ve made the Rich Harvest trophy/achievement slightly easier to unlock by not requiring the completion of a ‘hidden’ mission story on Mendoza. This should remove confusion amongst players who appeared to have fulfilled the requirements but did not receive the trophy/achievement. Mendoza: Diana Dialogue We’ve resolved an issue that could cause Diana’s dialogue not to trigger at the start of the Mendoza campaign mission. Bangkok: Unusual Identity We’ve resolved several issues where NPC names and images did not match up with the actual NPC in Bangkok. Credit Where It’s Due, 3.100 We’ve updated the in-game credits where needed to reflect work done since the last patch, including new members of the team that have joined.
Hitman 3 launched a year ago, and after finding critical and commercial success with Agent 47's latest outing, developer IO Interactive revealed its plans for the game's second year. In a new reveal stream, IO Interactive provided further details on the new PC ray tracing features, VR support, and Elusive Target Arcade that will be added to Hitman 3 throughout 2022.
Elusive Target Arcade
Elusive Target Arcade
Year Two officially begins on January 20, which will see Elusive Targets Arcade go live. Similar to how Elusive Target missions have operated in the past, Agent 47 will have one chance to execute a mark. Each contract now tasks you with taking down consecutive Elusive Targets, with the challenge escalating from target to target. If you fail to take down someone who has been marked for assassination, you'll have to wait 12 hours before you can attempt a new run.
This mode is also a permanent addition to Hitman 3, and won't be time-limited like Elusive Targets were in the past. IO Interactive added that exclusive rewards will be available in this mode, with three arcade contracts available once the feature has been added to Hitman 3. As the year continues, more contracts will be added, pulled from the entire Hitman trilogy Elusive Target library.
Virtual Reality support will be added to Hitman 3 on PC--PS4 players had it first--which will also retroactively apply to Hitman and Hitman 2. The entire World of Assassination saga will be playable in VR, and IO explained that the mode was designed to work on the most popular hardware available while incorporating VR specific setups to some Hitman controls to make them feel as intuitive as possible. One such example is with the ability to throw items at NPCs, as players will be able to naturally hurl lethal objects within the sandbox.
Hitman 3 Tech upgrades
Not even your GPUs are safe from Agent 47.
2022 will see technical improvements to Hitman 3's Glacier Engine, which will enable ray tracing on PC later in the year. IO's partnership with Intel will unlock XeSS technology, which will use machine learning to deliver more performance with higher image quality inside of the game. Variable Rate Shading will also be added to help boost PC performance later in the year.
Hitman Trilogy
The entire trilogy of Hitman games that began in 2016 are being compiled into a single package, and will be available digitally on January 20 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through the Epic Games Store and Steam. Xbox Game Pass owners on PC and Xbox can also get their hands on the trilogy from January 20.
Freelancer Mode
Freelancer mode
Described as a roguelike twist on the Hitman formula, Freelancer mode pits Agent 47 against a new organization that has begun to make a move across the world. Agent 47 will need to take care of the syndicate, working his way through the footsoldiers of the group before finally eliminating the leader. To make matters more complex, 47 won't know who the leader is exactly, and this shadowy figure is flanked by NPCs who can alert the leader to 47's presence, resulting in them evacuating the area.
To take down this cabal, players will be able to explore 47's safehouse and build an arsenal for him. Any gear acquired can be stored here, but any equipment dropped or abandoned during a mission is lost forever. 47 can restock by paying a visit to suppliers within a stage, spending earned currency to unlock new gear. Each mission can be tackled in any order that players choose, and it'll be up to players to maintain 47's collection of deadly gear between missions when the mode launches later this year.
New map
The new Rocky map
Briefly teased at the end of the Year two reveal stream, 47 will have a new location to explore later in 2022. Codenamed Rocky, IO Interactive showed off a few seconds of the new map, which looks like a tropical getaway for 47.
IO Interactive is also currently working on a James Bond video game, which the studio says will be an original spin on the iconic spy. In case you missed out on Hitman 3 last year, it's currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, as well as a cloud version on Switch.
