14 DAY TRIAL // Video game developer IO Interactive and publisher Square Enix are announcing that they are turning the upcoming Hitman into a full episodic series with a strong live experience, to deliver the best possible mix of quality and new content in the long term.
The official announcement explains that "It’s not a decision we’ve taken lightly, and we fully acknowledge that the decision may frustrate some players. But it is a shift that we believe will ensure the best possible foundation for this game and the future of Hitman."
According to the IO Interactive team, the decision is taken to make sure that the first content delivery manages to offer a solid foundation for the story arc in the first game, which will also influence the way the series will evolve during the coming years.
The studio explains that the initial launch, on March 11, is designed to deliver the prologue and the first Paris location, both of them with a variety of missions for gamers to undertake.
Italy will arrive for the new Hitman in April, and Morocco will become available in May, with more monthly content drops planned after that, offering players access to the United States, Japan and Thailand, each with its unique set of missions and challenges.
IO Interactive is also aiming to come up with weekly live events for the game to keep the community engaged, and other types of content for the action title are also planned, although their exact nature has not been revealed.
The team apologizes for the changes but ensures fans that they will have positive effects in the long term.
Hitman has a rather complex pricing structure
The Intro Pack, including the prologue and Paris, will be available for 15 dollars or Euro, and all content drops after that will be offered for 10 dollars or Euro for those gamers who pick them up separately.
An Upgrade Pack that features everything included in the new Hitman will also be provided for 50 dollars or Euro and guarantees the delivery of all live or bonus content.
IO Interactive also assures players that it has no plans to include any microtransactions in the game and says that a full disc version of the experience will come to all platforms towards the end of the year.
The studio plans to deliver a full beta stage for Hitman on February 12 on the PlayStation 4 and one week later on the PC, designed to make sure that the infrastructure runs well and to test the community's reaction to some of the core mechanics.
Gamers who get the version of the game for the Sony home console will also be able to access the first mission, called The Director, associated with the Sarajevo Six set of exclusive content.
According to the developers, the game will feature the open-ended level design of Blood Money and will ensure that gamers have a wide variety of choices when it comes to mission completion.
Hitman will be launched on the PC, the Xbox One, and the PlayStation 4 on March 11.