IO Details New Hitman 3 Location, Next-Gen Enhancements

In a post on the studio’s official website, IO Interactive has revealed Chongqing, China as a new location for Hitman 3. Additionally, the developer/publisher has detailed the enhancements that PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC users can expect to see in the final entry of the World of Assassination trilogy.

The reveal video doesn’t show a whole lot of Chongqing, but its neon lights and cramped passageways provide a distinct look. IO mentions that the location will serve as a great showcase for the upgrades the studio has made to its proprietary Glacier engine, including improved lighting, reflections, and full water effects. Another previously-revealed location, Dubai, will feature over 300 active NPCs.

On capable PCs, PS5, and Xbox Series X, Hitman 3 will run in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with HDR. As an added bonus, owners of Hitman and Hitman 2 will be able to import locations from those entries into Hitman 3 to take advantage of the game’s rendering, animation, and AI improvements. Players who import both Hitman and Hitman 2 locations into Hitman 3 will be able to have access to “more than 20+ locations under one roof.”

Hitman 3 is scheduled to release on January 20, 2021 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC, while streaming options will be available on Nintendo Switch and Google Stadia. After that, IO will turn its attention to its newly-revealed Project 007, which will serve as an origin story for the legendary secret agent.