New technology has been the name of the game, for lack of a better term, in the gaming industry over the past few years, and with several VR releases upcoming, don't expect that to change. Not only will we see VR enter the market in 2016, but we will see the arrival of Steam Machines and the emergence of alternative business models.
The month of October is going to be filled with excitement as the Hitman franchise is commemorating its 25 years of being in the business.
It’s the 25th anniversary this year?
I’d have assumed it would have gotten something like a remastered trilogy of the original games or a remake of the first game. Something for a 25th celebration.
Super lacklustre
Cultured Vultures: With the World of Assassination Trilogy wrapped up, here's our thoughts on the best and the worst in the series.
From PSU: "Ten years ago, the Hitman franchise was in a transitory state. Blood Money had become something of a classic and with Hitman Absolution there was a clear decision to push IO Interactive’s assassination sim series to a whole new level. That experimental, often divisive, entry turned out to be pivotal in what would follow.
Elements of Absolution, such as its accessibility and player-created content, would be mixed with the more traditional Hitman games’ sense of murderous creativity to birth the Hitman Trilogy 0f 2016-2021. A series that would take its creators on a turbulent journey of publisher changes, independence, and the eventual triumph of being handed the tantalizing 007 license."
"Organic decision"
Seems to me they are experimenting and using Hitman as a Guinea pig
I have a funny feeling this is because they want to see if they could possibly do "episodes" of AAA games where it will be cheaper for them but we end up paying the same. In the end we'll be getting less content somehow. Like the illusion we are getting a lot but if you add the episodes together you'd get less "run time" then buying a normal retail game. Paranoid sure....but this is Square, they did Hitman like this for a reason and I doubt it was for "our" benefit.
They should have done this with a new IP, not Hitman.
The reason they are going this avenue, is they want to experiment with episodic expansions that are based around fanfare. Where do you want to go next? Paris? Japan? Kentucky? Allowing gamers to interact with the development of the game and choose locations and missions based around what they want to do. This isnt a money milking back door sneak to get more money for less game.
This is why Im excited about the possibilities of the eposidic nature of the game... When if the central hub is the airport and we buy a ticket to where we want to go next? Levels based on the collective choices made by the gamers themselves, as mentioned above. Each expansion being another 3 cities, wirh the ability to fly out of the airport to any one of them... at any time we choose? Basically allowing us to fly around the world, to collect intel and items in order to finally track and kill the main protagonist. All happening within the confines of, what will feel like, a dramatic TV series that we control the outcome to.
That sounds very exciting to me, especially in the Hitman universe, because the possibilities could be endless.
I HATE digital. Love Hitman, but if I can't eventually buy it on disc I may just go 47 on Square Enix. Maybe if SE knew how to run a business they wouldn't have to have MS pay for Tomb Raider or cut corners on the distribution of Hitman. The one good franchise SE publishes and they screw it up with this BS. F them.
So I've recently built a PC, so digital is pretty much the way I'll go when purchasing the new Hitman, because everything looks better on my PC. However, for those that don't have a PC, and I was once there myself, this is a serious blow to Square Enix's fan base. They've been digging themselves into a serious hole lately. I'm not sure where these changes are coming from, and what's prompting these business practices, but if the fan feedback is any indication they should pull the brakes. If I didn't have a PC, then I'd be singing the same song as everyone else here. It's a shame that a company like Square Enix would be making decisions like this. I'm just hoping other companies don't follow suit.