When Square Enix and IO Interactive announced that Hitman would be a fully episodic game, the publisher and developer also confirmed the title would go on to have a disc version for purchase at the end of this year. Now, however, it has been revealed that the release date for the physical copies of the companies’ upcoming stealth-action game is being delayed until January 2017.
The announcement comes just one day ahead of Hitman‘s digital debut on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. According to developers, Agent 47 will be the protagonist in seven separate episodes throughout the rest of 2016, with the first being set in Paris, followed by Italy, Morocco, Thailand, Japan the USA, and an undisclosed seventh location.
While some folks may be disappointed by the delay, the press outlet VideoGamer received an explanation from IO Interactive detailing the reasons behind its decision to push Hitman‘s physical release back a bit, saying that it needed the additional time to ensure a smoother release for gaming fans. Regarding the matter, the developer’s statement reads:
“This year is all about delivering the best episodic experience for Hitman and that takes us to Autumn/Fall. Releasing the disc version in January just makes sure we have enough time after the season concludes to dedicate to getting the best disc version of the game out.”
For those who can’t wait for Hitman‘s disc version, they can purchase the Intro Pack for $15, which includes “The Prologue” and a mission in Paris, the former of which was shown off in the game’s beta announcement trailer, as well as in the test itself. Following episodes will cost $10 a pop, but fans can go all-in with the “Full Experience” for $60.
Today’s declaration regarding the postponement of Hitman‘s physical release is the only the latest in a slew of various holdups for the game. For example, its initial 2015 release date was delayed so as to give IO Interactive some breathing room for the development of more content at its launch. Plus, in order to prepare for the disclosure of Hitman being serialized, players’ pre-orders of the game were cancelled on PlayStation Network, leaving fans bewildered about the fate of the title.
Granted, an extra month’s wait for the disc version of Hitman isn’t too long, but it’s not as if the announcement is good news. If anything, it sets the precedent for further delays in the future. Hopefully, though, IO Interactive will have all of the game’s materials ready for the physical release come January 2017.
The first episode of Hitman is set to release digitally tomorrow, March 11, 2016, for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
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