The episodic-style release for Hitman beginning this December isn’t some Early Access program, reads a new FAQ from Square Enix and developer IO Interactive. That would suggest it’s ”something unfinished or unpolished”.
Whatever they release episodically will be ‘complete and polished’ every time, from major new locations and missions to smaller live events with one-time assassinations. Also it’s ‘less episodic and more of a stream’.
A ”sizeable chunk” of the new Hitman launches this December 8th, but much more awaits as 2016 unfolds with new locations and missions to undertake that lead all the way through the story arc. You don’t pay for these instalments piecemeal, but instead pay a full sticker price.
”Early access can often mean something unfinished or unpolished,” reads the FAQ. ”That’s simply not the approach we’re taking. All of the content we release live to our players will be complete and polished, whether that’s the locations and missions we release on December 8th, the live events or the locations and missions that we will release in 2016.”
“It will always be a polished Hitman experience.”
It is an episodic release schedule but they don’t like the term because of what it means today.
”We think the word ‘episodic’ sets up the expectation that we will sell individual content drops for individual prices but that’s not something we’re planning to do,” explained Square.
”That said, there are some episodic elements to the story in the sense that it’s delivered in chunks over time, so experiencing the story will probably feel episodic. But there is also a ton of other content including live events, which have nothing to do with the story. We’ll also be improving and changing the game constantly whilst you’re playing it. Our ambition is to have a stream of content available from December 8th until the story arc is finished.”
The new Hitman from the series creator ”lives, grows and evolves” as time goes on.
”That $60 includes everything we create in this story arc; from what we release on December 8th through to the end of the story arc in 2016 and all the live events too. There’s no micro-transactions or hidden costs in there. No extra paid DLC on top either. It’s one package, all-in for $60. We want that to be simple and clear and it was important for us to be up-front about that.”
Yes, we can play missions and locations offline. Live events and leaderboards will require you to be online however, as will receive major content updates naturally.
Visit the official Hitman website to read the full Hitman FAQ.
Hitman releases digitally on PC December 8th.
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