Hitman 3's new name, new mode, and new graphics tech are here

The day is finally here, folks. Hitman 3 has evolved into a new form, becoming Hitman: World of Assassination, a newer and simpler version that casts off the original's baffling array of purchase options in favour of a single, easy-to-understand package that encompasses all three games, plus an optional deluxe pack that includes the DLC for 2 and 3.

We're also finally getting the much-touted and much-delayed freelancer mode, which adds a kind of roguelike variation of classic Hitman that sees Agent 47 waging war against criminal organisations from a new, customisable headquarters.

IO must have had a busy few months, because overhauling the game and adding an entirely new mode isn't all the new version does. Those of you with RTX 4000-series cards can now enjoy Nvidia's latest whizzbang DLSS 3 frame-generation tech, which promises 4x frame-rate increases for users fortunate enough to take advantage of it. Those of us still using increasingly-ornery GTX cards will just do without. Not that I'm bitter.

The official patch notes list all sorts of other fixes accompanying the major update, which range from fixed texture glitches to the UI no longer 'dancing' if you whirl the camera around in too carefree a fashion. What I'm most interested in, though, is the "Paris Audio Sweep," which is apparently an overhaul of the audio on Hitman 1's Paris map to bring it up to the standard set by later levels, and games, in the series. I'm curious if I'll notice the difference, since the thumping bass of the Paris catwalk will be ingrained in my brain for the rest of my life.

The update hit earlier today on pretty much every platform Hitman runs on. Whether you play on the Epic Games Store, Game Pass, or Steam, the World of Assassination awaits.

One of Josh's first memories is of playing Quake 2 on the family computer when he was much too young to be doing that, and he's been irreparably game-brained ever since. His writing has been featured in Vice, Fanbyte, and the Financial Times. He'll play pretty much anything, and has written far too much on everything from visual novels to Assassin's Creed. His most profound loves are for CRPGs, immersive sims, and any game whose ambition outstrips its budget. He thinks you're all far too mean about Deus Ex: Invisible War.