Hitman 2 (2018 video game)

Hitman 2 is a 2018 stealth video game that was developed by IO Interactive and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It is the seventh major installment in the Hitman video game series, the sequel to 2016's Hitman and the second game in the World of Assassination trilogy. The game's story continues the plot arc started in Hitman and follows genetically engineered assassin Agent 47 as he searches for the mysterious "Shadow Client" and his allies, who are trying to destroy Providence, a secretive organization that controls the world's affairs. Like its predecessor, Hitman 2 features six large sandbox locations that players can freely explore to find opportunities to eliminate their targets. The game also included two online multiplayer modes called Sniper Assassin and Ghost Mode, whose internet servers were shut down in August 2020.
Sales of the 2016 episodic game Hitman fell short of expectations, prompting the series' publisher Square Enix to sell IO Interactive, which became an independent studio after a management buyout. With a limited cash flow, the studio laid off nearly half of its employees and had to reduce the scope of the sequel, whose development was about 25% completed. Because the framework had been created with the previous game, development of Hitman 2 was faster than usual, taking about twenty-one months. The first game's episodic model was abandoned and Hitman 2 was released in full. The studio supported the game with additional content, including two paid maps, and free elusive targets and contracts.
Hitman 2 was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in November 2018. Upon release, the game was met with generally positive reviews; critics considered it to be an improvement over its predecessor. The game's maps, sandbox design, gameplay enhancements, humour and assassination opportunities were praised, though the story and the multiplayer modes received a mixed response. Hitman 2 recuperated its developmental costs but its launch during a crowded release window negatively affected sales. Hitman 3, the follow-up and final installment in the World of Assassination trilogy, was released in January 2021.
Category:Video Games