Santa 47 comes to Hitman 3 for Christmas, is making a list

Agent 47 in a Santa suit.
(Image credit: IO Interactive)

IO Interactive has released what it calls a Winter Roadmap for the wonderful Hitman 3 that consists, basically, of the news that you can dress up as Santa and garrotte people. The first mission of the game, Dubai, is also now free for everyone to play.

Live now, the 'Holiday Hoarders' mission has returned, which was first seen way back in 2016 before temporarily returning in Hitman 2. Set in Paris, the holiday-themed mission is filled with festive touches amidst the slaughter, like the opportunity to throw snowballs. You also get to essentially hunt the thieves from Home Alone: Harry and Marv, "both American nationals now living in Paris after a series of botched break-ins and related violent crimes forced them to leave their home country." Completing Holiday Hoarders unlocks the Santa 47 suit.

IO is also bringing back all of Hitman 3's 'Elusive Targets', so perhaps the developer should consider re-naming them. Nevertheless they're all appearing in staggered fashion over the festive season, with six days to assassinate each one.

Finally, the Hokkaido Snow Festival comes to Hitman 3 on January 3rd, bringing a thematically appropriate ice pick weapon and a snow festival suit, before some 'Winter Madness Feature Contracts' arrive on January 13. 

Hitman 3 has been a huge success for IO Interactive, and this trilogy surely now stands as the most complete assassin-em-up experience ever made. IO ends by promising more for Hitman 3 in 2022, which it's previously trailed: The long-and-short being, expect a lot more maps and modes.

Rich Stanton

Rich is a games journalist with 15 years' experience, beginning his career on Edge magazine before working for a wide range of outlets, including Ars Technica, Eurogamer, GamesRadar+, Gamespot, the Guardian, IGN, the New Statesman, Polygon, and Vice. He was the editor of Kotaku UK, the UK arm of Kotaku, for three years before joining PC Gamer. He is the author of a Brief History of Video Games, a full history of the medium, which the Midwest Book Review described as "[a] must-read for serious minded game historians and curious video game connoisseurs alike."