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Hitman 3 2021
Hitman 3 is a 2021 stealth video game developed and published by IO Interactive. It stands as the eighth primary entry in the Hitman franchise, following up on 2018's Hitman 2, and marks the third title within the World of Assassination trilogy. The narrative continues the storyline that began with 2016's Hitman, focusing on genetically modified killer Agent 47 and his companions as they seek out the heads of the hidden group Providence, which has influenced global events and played a role in 47's development and training. Similar to its two predecessors, the game is organized into six levels, with five of them being expansive sandbox environments where players can roam freely to discover methods for eliminating their targets.
The core version includes six settings: Dubai, Dartmoor, Berlin, Chongqing, Mendoza, and the Carpathian Mountains located in Romania. A later update added a new fictional island situated in the Andaman Sea. IO Interactive aimed for a more narrative-focused experience. Consequently, Hitman 3 carries a deeper and more serious tone. The development team felt more confident to try new approaches in mission structure, introducing concepts they had previously avoided or hesitated to execute, such as embedding assassination tasks within a murder-mystery framework in the Dartmoor level. Although gameplay remains largely consistent with its predecessor, the developers drew inspiration from immersive simulation games, incorporating features like world interaction for intelligence gathering, branching storylines with various endings, and environmental elements that support emergent gameplay.
Hitman 3, the first title published independently by IO Interactive after the studio gained autonomy, launched globally on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, and Nintendo Switch (through cloud streaming) in January 2021. It earned favorable reviews, with commendation for its level design, ambiance, stealth systems, and 47's capabilities. Several critics regarded it as the strongest game in the series; the title has also been labeled among the finest stealth games ever made. Hitman 3 achieved the highest sales figures for the franchise, and IO has provided ongoing support through multiple downloadable content releases and complimentary updates. In January 2023, IO rebranded Hitman 3 as Hitman: World of Assassination, transforming it into a live-service model where previous Hitman games' content became accessible to owners of Hitman 3 at no extra cost. Hitman 3 VR: Reloaded, a standalone version of the game’s VR component that includes only the main Hitman 3 storyline, was issued for Meta Quest 3 by XR Games in September 2024.
Trailer
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Crew
- Director
- Mattias Engström
- Programmer
- Jacob Marner, Maurizio de Pascale
- Artist
- Alexander Andersen
- Writer
- Nick Price, Michael Vogt
- Producer
- Markus Friedl, Céline Gil, Jesper Nielsen, Karim Boussoufa
- Music
- Niels Bye Nielsen
Details
- Developer
- IO Interactive
- Publisher
- IO Interactive
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Series
- Hitman
