Hitman 3 Year 2 Details: Freelancer, PC VR, New Map And More
Hitman 3 Year 2 has officially been unveiled sending fans of the franchise into a frenzy just one year since the game launched. Hitman 3 kicked off 2021 in style last year, finally perfecting the formula IO Interactive strived for with the newly rebooted franchise in 2016. However, as teased earlier this week, the launch of Hitman 3 was not the end of it, and now IO Interactive have unveiled the ambitious plans for Hitman 3 Year 2. So dust off your silverballers and button up your sharpest red tied suit, as we break down everything that was announced for Hitman 3 Year Two.
Hitman 3 Year 2: Release Date
Hitman 3 Year 2 may be ambitious and grand, but IO Interactive isn't wasting any time on the build up to it. Hitman 3 Year 2 will launch on January 20, which nicely ties in with the games one year anniversary. Not all content of Year 2 will launch on January 20 however, as content will release progressively throughout 2022.
Hitman 3 Year 2: VR For PC
Click to enlargePSVR fans got a taste of what it would be like to don the barcode with the full VR support of the entire Hitman trilogy last year. A brief mention on this and any fan would be stricken with astonishment, but Hitman 3 on PSVR was pretty terrible. The lack of motion controls meant that players felt handcuffed as they had to grip onto the PlayStation controller and their digital arms awkwardly flared all over.
That won't be the case with the now-announced PC VR support. Like with the PSVR, Hitman 3 fans will be able to experience the entire trilogy in VR, this time with the game-changing motion control. The team at IO spoke on the multiple mechanical benefits this gives such as sparring (or slapping) NPCs and skillfully and tactfully launching a crowbar off of some poor waiter's skull from a distance. This has the potential to be the ultimate VR sandbox experience.
Hitman 3 Year 2: Game Pass And Steam
Click to enlargeHitman 3 Year 2 isn't just about giving new content to old players, as it is also intent on introducing the Hitman experience to new audiences. That is why Hitman 3, or the newly dubbed Hitman Trilogy will be launching on Steam for the first time and arriving on Xbox Game Pass on January 20.
The Game Pass launch of the Hitman Trilogy will be a huge win for Xbox players who in recent months have been able to nab games like Mass Effect, Back 4 Blood, and the upcoming Rainbow Six Extraction (which launches on the same day). This means players will be able to access all 21 levels from the trilogy. What makes it even better is that the trilogy will also arrive on Game Pass PC meaning players with a headset can also check out the aforementioned VR.
Hitman 3 Year 2: Ray Tracing
Click to enlargeWhile Hitman 3 was an already stunning game Hitman 3 Year 2 has promised to bring a suite of technical advancement to this epic sandbox. However, chief among them is the inclusion of ray tracing on PC. This means we'll get improved visual fidelity and better reflective surfaces - my God, just imagine the Chongqing mission. Sneaky murdering will never have looked so good.
Hitman 3 Year 2: Elusive Target Arcade
Click to enlargeSo far in our breakdown of Hitman 3 Year 2 we've discussed older experiences coming to new platforms and audiences and some technical improvements, but what is actually new about Hitman 3 Year 2? For starters players will be able to get stuck into the new Elusive Targets Arcade.
Arcade is supposedly taking the fan-favourite mode of Elusive Targets to the "next level" with new challenges, unlockable rewards, and far more difficult targets. You must complete one contract to begin the next, and failure will result in a 12 hour lockdown. And unlike before Elusive Targets will now remain in the game permanently, constantly building up the Arcade.
The idea is that Hitman 3 will consistent up its replayability, constantly offering players new content, or new scenarios to sneak their way through. And with the failure penalties, things are going to get pretty tense for 47.
Hitman 3 Year 2: Freelancer
Click to enlargeNext up we have Freelancer which is the biggest new addition to Hitman 3 Year 2. Safehouses are returning to the Hitman series and this time you can customise it as you meticulously plan your next job. Pick out a new suit, have a wander around, and dust off your skills with some weapons training. With several "campaigns" to choose from, once leaving the safehouse you will be sent on a globetrotting adventure, choosing the order of the missions you play, and eventually heading back to the safehouse to restock and start strategizing for the next hit.
While this might not immediately sound all that different from the main campaign, there have been a number of adjustments that will make each campaign fresh and exciting. Inventory, for one, will not carry over if you leave it in a mission area, so you might get particularly sketchy about leaving your favourite pair of pistols aside to make it past a guard pat down. Additionally, NPC will make their way into the maps you know and love, some which will offer items for sale and help, others who will apparently "hinder" your progress.
Freelancer sadly will not arrive with the launch of Hitman 3 Year 2, as it is currently scheduled for Spring 2022, but this is certainly one of the most exciting additions to the new year of content. We will update this article as we know more on its release.
Hitman 3 Year 2: A New Map
Click to enlargeWe don't know much but a new map is coming at some point during Hitman 3 Year 2. At this point it is only known as Codename: Rocky, but a brief glimpse during the Year 2 reveal stream showcased a tropical island cladded in darkness, with high up drawbridges, deep river canyons, and appropriately evil-looking pylon structures. More on Codename: Rocky will be revealed "later in Year 2"
That's everything we know about Hitman 3 Year 2 and it is certainly a good time to be a Hitman fan. Be sure to head right back here to GGRecon, where there will be more news and guides on all things Hitman.
