Hitman Series

Hitman Now a Proper Episodic Game

Despite an insistence that Hitman would be a full game at launch, Square Enix and Io Interactive are now embracing what the new Hitman already appeared to be, as they announced today that the game will be "fully episodic."

The game will be split into episodes that are released over the course of the year. The prologue and first mission are still planned for released on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on March 11, but the other content previously promised for launch--the Italy and Morocco missions--are now coming later. The Italy mission will be released in April, followed by Morocco in May.

Beyond that, Io has plans for "regular monthly content updates" through the end of 2016. Some of these will introduce new settings, with three in total planned: Thailand, the United States, and Japan. In addition to missions set there, Io says it'll offer weekly live events and other content in between the larger monthly releases.

"We decided to take the full leap and publish Hitman as a truly episodic game experience," Io boss Hannes Seifert said in a statement. "Part of that decision is for that little bit of extra time to ensure every location we release is at the quality level fitting for a Hitman game. But the main driving reason is that this will allow us to create a living game that will expand and evolve over time and establish a foundation for the future--this is the first game in a storyline which will continue and expand with future Hitman games."

Hitman will still be released initially as a digital game, with a disc-based version coming at the end of the year. The full digital version will cost $60, or you can purchase the prologue and Paris mission, known as the Intro Pack, for $15. Latter locations can then be bought for $10 each, or you can add on everything else for $50.

There's also a set of PS4-exclusive content in the form of The Sarajevo Six. This consists of six additional missions, one set in each of the game's locations. Io describes this as a "self-contained side story" that "sees Agent 47 travel the world in pursuit of six former members of a paramilitary unit called CICADA."

A beta is still planned to take in place ahead of launch in February. PS4 players will get access on February 12, while those on PC will get it on February 19. Among other ways, beta access is guaranteed by preordering either the Intro Pack or purchasing the full game.
 
I heard they canceled the pre-orders for Hitman. What's going on?
My understanding is they did it because of the change in how it will be delivered. Essentially people aren't going to get what they originally paid for.

I'm going to give this a try, as the initial $15 instalment is peanuts (and likely their reason for changing to a pure episodic delivery model. More people will hopefully give it a chance if it's cheap.

The thing I don't like about episodic delivery, is the usually massive delay between episodes. Telltale (imo) is the worst - it can take them close to a year to crank out 5 or 6 episodes. I would prefer a Netflix style approach - drop all the episodes at once, and let me buy them at my own pace. Maybe I binge, maybe I don't, but nothing worse than wanting more but having to wait months for it.
 
I just saw a post by This Hard Land. I miss him.

If a bunch of hitmen broke into my house, and told me that I either had to chose someone to be brutally bludgeoned from these forums, or give them $5, he was an easy choice.

Now I have to think for a few seconds.

This game is getting stranger as time goes on. Are there many episodic games that aren't done in the Telltale vein that are successful?

Fortune favours the brave, I guess.
 
I'll probably buy the first installment, it will give me time to focus on the two maps and try out multiple ways to assassinate. I'm terrible for rushing through games so I'm actually quite pleased to buy this in bite size chunks.
 
My understanding is they did it because of the change in how it will be delivered. Essentially people aren't going to get what they originally paid for.

I'm going to give this a try, as the initial $15 instalment is peanuts (and likely their reason for changing to a pure episodic delivery model. More people will hopefully give it a chance if it's cheap.

The thing I don't like about episodic delivery, is the usually massive delay between episodes. Telltale (imo) is the worst - it can take them close to a year to crank out 5 or 6 episodes. I would prefer a Netflix style approach - drop all the episodes at once, and let me buy them at my own pace. Maybe I binge, maybe I don't, but nothing worse than wanting more but having to wait months for it.

Oh, okay. I don't understand why you would break a game like Hitman up into episodes but if it's good, whatever i guess. They're doing the same thing with the FFVII remake, which i really don't understand. It's an RPG, not a Telltale game. Makes no sense.
 
Oh, okay. I don't understand why you would break a game like Hitman up into episodes but if it's good, whatever i guess. They're doing the same thing with the FFVII remake, which i really don't understand. It's an RPG, not a Telltale game. Makes no sense.
I'm pretty sure it's more a business plan, rather than the most logical way to distribute it. It would seem that they are thinking high initial sales will come easier with a low price point, slicing it up. They can get the hooks in and many users will hopefully buy more slices.

There are a few risks with this approach imo. First, they are basing it off the model Telltale has implemented so successfully, but Telltale was never selling a "full retail game". Chopping it up like this could accidentally devalue the high-end product they have produced. It could also confuse consumers, since it's not the norm.

We'll see. I'll definitely be getting the first instalment, but I'm already Hitman fan. If it's done well, and I don't have to wait months between instalments, I'm sure I'll buy the rest. I hope this works for them.
 
Kinda seems like a weird game to be episodic to me. I had problems with the previous game not being able to get back in the flow if I went to long between sessions, episodic just seems like it make that worse for me at least.
 
I'm not buying until the full thing comes out. This isn't the kind of game where I want to play a mission and then stop for a long time.

Of course, I'll be holding off anyway after that last abomination of a game they released. Go back to Blood Money style, otherwise forget it.
 
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I'm not buying until the full thing comes out. This isn't the kind of game where I want to play a mission and then stop for a long time.

Of course, I'll be holding off anyway after that last abomination of a game they released. Go back to Blood Money style, otherwise forget it.

Me neither. I think releasing games in episodes is becoming a trend. Devs do it as a way to maximize sales throughout the game's life. People who are really itching for a next gen Hitman will jump on this right away. While others will wait for the full release.
 
Episodes release is the new milk cow. Why make customers pay once, when you can make them do it 3 times.
 
I'll wait till it's finished and on disc.

last game left a sour taste.
 
I bought this game for $15.

Yay drunk amazon. :)
 
Off to a good start. The Paris level is massive and this has a great Blood Money vibe to it so far.

Also make the past games BC already MS!
 
I do not know where to start on this episodic nonsense.

It sounds like the gameplay is the best its ever been, but this ridiculous release model is just confounding.
 
I do not know where to start on this episodic nonsense.

It sounds like the gameplay is the best its ever been, but this ridiculous release model is just confounding.
It is like early access-kick starter for wealthy, prominent game developers with well known franchises. Why pay to develop an entire game when you can start selling the first level and a season pass to fund the rest of your development.