Hitman 2‘s unique multiplayer offerings have been cut down in their prime with the news that Ghost Mode is not returning for Hitman 3 and will soon be unavailable in Hitman 2. The second game in what’s now known as the World of Assassination trilogy, Hitman 2 carried over everything players enjoyed about the original reboot and added several experimental modes to the proceedings. The most prominent is Ghost Mode, a 1v1 experience that pits two copies of Agent 47 against one another to see who can take out their target the fastest. This was the first instance of competitive multiplayer in the Hitman franchise, and the developers at IO Interactive tried several iterations over the course of the game’s life.
Another unique multiplayer mode – initially a preorder bonus that later became part of the whole Hitman 2 experience – is Sniper Assassin. This mode is a spiritual successor to both Hitman: Sniper on phones and the Hitman: Sniper Challenge standalone bonus game that released alongside Hitman: Absolution. Similar to those games, Sniper Assassin is focused on assassinating from afar using a long-range sniper rifle. The same specific targets and challenges carry over, and the mode eventually supported co-op play alongside updates to the roster of maps and weapons.
Today, IO Interactive released a blog post in anticipation of the upcoming release of Hitman 3 that goes over the modes that will carry over into the sequel. While it was previously reported that Hitman 3 would support everything the past two World of Assassination games had to offer, the post confirms that Ghost Mode and the multiplayer elements of Sniper Assassin are on the chopping block. In addition, Ghost Mode’s servers will be taken offline on August 31st, rendering the Hitman 2 version of the game mode unplayable. The developers also note that they will give Hitman 3 players a chance to unlock the Phantom Suit in an alternate way, since that was previously only available through Ghost Mode.
As for Sniper Assassin, Hitman 3 will port over the missions from Hitman 2, but only as a single-player experience. The developers are also planning to sunset the co-op servers for this mode in Hitman 2 in the lead up to release, although no timetable for that shutdown is given. The mode currently supports missions set in Singapore, Austria, and Russia, and it’s unclear if that roster will expand over the course of Hitman 3‘s life, or if the content is going to remain in a legacy state.
While Hitman 2 toyed with multiplayer ideas, the franchise’s strengths lie with single-player and community-created Contracts, and it’s a good idea to focus on those for the next game in the series. The studio has been through a lot of changes over the course of this trilogy, which originated as a Square Enix property and survived a split between publisher and developer. The fact that the team is experimenting at all with such a successful formula should be applauded, even if the modes didn’t end up as well-oiled as the base game. With the added VR support and upgrades to existing maps, players will have plenty to keep them busy in Hitman 3.
Hitman 3 will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, Google Stadia, and PC in January 2021.
