'Hitman 3' will tweak its most divisive mode
I/O also announced it's shutting down Ghost Mode.
When Hitman 3 comes out next year, you'll have a variety of ways to play through Agent 47's latest adventure. They'll be a new campaign that will wrap up the franchise's current story arc, which started with 2016's Hitman. Hitman 3 will also include new Elusive Targets for players to take out.
Elusive Targets, if you're not familiar, is one of Hitman 2’s most unique gameplay modes. Every couple of weeks, series developer I/O Interactive adds a new, limited-time target to an existing level. You only have one chance to eliminate them; if you fail the challenge for any reason, there's no way to replay it. When IO Interactive first introduced elusive targets to the Hitman franchise, longtime fans loved the challenge that came with each new contract. At one point, they even got the chance to assassinate Sean Bean. However, as time has gone on, some of the mode’s luster has worn off. A frequent criticism of the concept has been its time-gated nature.
The good news is that the studio seems to have heard feedback from fans. "In Hitman 3, we're making some changes to the Elusive Target formula that we'll reveal at a later date," promises IO Interactive.
Besides Elusive Targets, Hitman 3 will feature three other gameplay modes, most of which will be familiar to players. The first, Escalations, will introduce new complications as you progress through a contract. At one stage, Agent 47 may not be able to wear a disguise, or there may be more security cameras in the level than usual. Contracts Mode, meanwhile, will allow you to pick a target, eliminate them and then challenge your friends to do the same. Lastly, Sniper Assassin will task you with taking out a target from afar. In Hitman 2, you could play this with a friend, but that won’t be the case with Hitman 3.
Separately, IO Interactive is shutting down Ghost Mode. You have until August 31st to play Hitman 2's competitive multiplayer, at which point the studio will shut down the servers that host the mode.
Hitman 3 will arrive on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC sometime in January 2021.
