Hitman 2: release date, pre-order, opportunities and more
IO Interactive and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment have announced the return of Agent 47 in Hitman 2, a sequel to 2016’s critically acclaimed Hitman. Announced earlier in June, Hitman 2 will be available in November and players will have access to the first season’s content for free, which is good considering October and November are shaping up to be an expensive couple of months.
So, let’s take a look at everything we know about our favourite bald assassin.
Hitman 2 release date
Hitman 2 comes out on November 13, 2018, for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Hitman 2 pre-order
There are three versions of Hitman 2 available to pre-order:
- The Standard Edition
- The Gold Edition
- The Collector’s Edition
With the Standard Edition, you’ll get:
- Sniper Assassin Move
With the Gold Edition:
- Executive Pack: ICA 19 Blackballer pistol, Italian black leather briefcase
- Expansion 1: New locations, missions, sniper man, outfits and weapons
- Play Hitman 2 four days early
- Expansion 2: New locations, missions, sniper man, outfits and weapons
With the Collector’s Edition: you’ll get all of the above plus:
- Collector’s Pack: Concussive rubber duck, midnight black suit
- Gun case replica and collectables: Exclusive Steelcase, bullet keyring, rubber duck and signature coin.
Hitman 2 gameplay
Hitman 2 won’t be following the episodic model seen in Hitman. Instead, it will be released in full with multiple levels at launch and will include an expansion pass for future downloadable content.
Players will be able to enjoy a new mode, Sniper Assassin mode, which is a standalone, co-op feature that will allow players to work together online in a Hitman game for the first time. You’ll also be able to play it solo if you wish. As the name suggests, rather than changing costumes to confuse your foes, you’ll be perched on a vantage point and will have to come up with ever creative ways to eliminate your enemies.
Hitman 2 weapons
Amongst the impressive arsenal of guns, knives and bombs, raw fish has been added to the menu - quite literally. You can now pick up large fish and assault targets or NPCs with it, carrying on the macabre attitude from its predecessor. Warner Bros’ marketing campaign featured Agent 47 holding various innocuous items like a cupcake, tape measure or, well, a fish alongside the slogan “Think Deadly”, so you know you’re dealing with a master assassin who isn’t afraid to use literally anything to get the job done.
Hitman 2 locations
There are a few new locations in Hitman 2 but only two have been revealed so far: a Miami racetrack and the rainforests of Colombia.
The latest video shows off a mission in Santa Fortuna, where Agent 47’s mission is to explore the native village, and cave networks to reach a fortified mansion, which just so happens to be hosting a meeting between the drug cartels, and take out three targets at once. Need we say more?
Owners of the previous game will also be able to claim the Legacy pack which will allow them to revisit Paris, Sapienza, Marrakesh, Bangkok, Colorado and Hokkaido. It’s unclear whether it will be available for stand-alone purchase or how much it will be for players who don’t own Hitman.
The six old locations will be remastered and will include all the new and updated features found in Hitman 2’s new maps. This includes the updated AI, the ability to hide in foliage, picture-in-picture mode, the new progression system and difficulty modes, as well as of course the updated visuals.
Hitman 2 new mechanics
Fans of Hitman are often incredulous at the notion that a skilled assassin like Agent 47 would just walk willy-nilly into view of a security camera. Luckily, a new system has been adapted for Hitman 2 whereby a grid will show on the floor that represents the security camera’s line of sight, so you can avoid being seen and having to laboriously delete security footage.
There’s also the new Picture-in-Picture mode that shows you what’s going on in other parts of the level. If you trip an alarm, a quick PIP view will show you if a guard is coming to react to it and from which direction, so you can plan your next move appropriately.
Hitman 2 opportunities
Opportunities are making a comeback in Hitman 2, so hopefully, you enjoyed them in the previous game. If you’re not familiar with Hitman, Opportunities are unique ways of eliminating a target which you can obtain by listening and paying attention to the world around you, as any assassin with a modicum of respect should be. In Hitman 2’s Miami level, you can dress as a mechanic and mess with your targets racing car, as opposed to hiding in the shadows and jumping him.
Players are encouraged to “keep your eyes and ears open as you navigate through the world since you never know what juicy piece of intel might be hidden within the conversations of the NPCs in each location”. Coupled together with the new PIP view, the opportunities in Hitman 2 will surely be as challenging as they are brilliant.
And that’s everything we know so far! If there’s anything you think we’ve missed let us know and check back regularly for updates.