Overview
Hitman, developed by IO Interactive and originally released in March 2016, is the sixth mainline entry in the long-running franchise and the first chapter of the World of Assassination trilogy. Players step into the polished shoes of Agent 47, a genetically engineered assassin carrying out contract killings across some of the world's most glamorous and dangerous locations. Paris, Sapienza, Marrakesh, Bangkok, Colorado, and Hokkaido each serve as sprawling sandboxes where every NPC, object, and environmental detail can become part of your plan.
The game was originally launched episodically before being consolidated under the Hitman: World of Assassination package in 2023. That package brings together all three trilogy entries, making the standalone 2016 game no longer available for individual purchase. What remains is one of the most carefully constructed stealth experiences in gaming history, still actively supported with seasonal content updates through 2026.
Gameplay and mechanics
The core loop in Hitman is deceptively simple: get in, eliminate the target, get out. The depth comes from how many ways you can accomplish that. Key mechanics include:
- Disguise and social stealth systems
- Environmental manipulation and accident kills
- Challenge-based unlocks for gear and starting locations
- Escalation contracts and featured community missions
- Elusive Target events with one-shot completion windows
The classless progression system rewards experimentation. Completing challenges unlocks new weapons, tools, and entry points for each map, which fundamentally changes how subsequent runs play out. A mission you cleared in a tuxedo through the front door becomes a completely different experience when you start as a chef with a lethal poison and a plan.
World and setting
Each level in Hitman functions less like a mission and more like a living diorama. The Paris fashion show level, set inside the Palais de Walewska, fills every floor with models, security personnel, caterers, and guests, all following routines that Agent 47 can track, interrupt, or exploit. Sapienza's sun-drenched Italian coastal town hides a biolab beneath a mansion, and the contrast between its breezy surface and deadly interior is exactly the kind of tonal layering IO Interactive does better than almost anyone.
The story running beneath the missions involves Diana Burnwood uncovering a shadow conspiracy orchestrated by a figure known as the Shadow Client, who has been using the ICA and Agent 47 to dismantle a secretive global organization called Providence. It is not the main attraction, but it gives the assassination contracts a connective thread that pays off across the trilogy.
Content and replayability
Hitman's replayability is its strongest selling point. Each map contains dozens of challenges tied to specific kill methods, disguises, and hidden interactions. Mastering a level to its maximum rank requires multiple playthroughs by design, and the game's live service structure has kept maps fresh for years through Ghost Mode, Contracts Mode, and seasonal content drops.
As of mid-2026, IO Interactive is actively running the Season of The Wizard update, which includes a free Wiz Khalifa crossover mission available through the game's demo. The patch notes for versions 3.270.0 and 3.270.1 confirm the update is live across platforms. That kind of ongoing support, nearly a decade after the original release, speaks to how well the sandbox design holds up.
How does Hitman play on different platforms?
Hitman: World of Assassination runs on PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, macOS, iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch. The PS5 version supports PlayStation VR2 with sitting, standing, and roomscale play styles, adding a genuinely different way to experience the assassination sandbox. The PS5 Pro receives enhanced performance support as well. Across platforms, the core stealth gameplay remains consistent, though the mobile versions carry their own technical considerations given the complexity of the sandbox maps.