'Hitman 3' Will Tweak Elusive Targets, Remove Ghost Mode

KEY POINTS

A new campaign to wrap up the current story arc and tweaking of Elusive Targets is coming to "Hitman 3" when it arrives in 2021
Despite its initial popularity, Elusive Targets eventually left a bad taste in the collective mouths of "Hitman" fans, effectively forcing I/O Interactive to fix it
Three other gameplay modes are also being added to “Hitman 3” in the form of Escalations, Contracts Mode, and Sniper Assassin

The arrival of “Hitman 3” in 2021 promises some changes the next time you take control of the elusive Agent 47.

A new campaign will wrap up the current story arc of the game that began all the way back with “Hitman” in 2016. As an added incentive, Engadget notes that “Hitman 3” will also add new Elusive Targets to take out.

For fans of “Hitman 3,” Elusive Targets proved to be a divisive topic of discussion. Every couple of weeks, the series developer I/O Interactive adds a new, limited-time target to an existing level. You only have one chance to eliminate them; if you fail the challenge for any reason, there is no way to replay it.

HITMAN 3 will feature multiple game modes, including the return of Elusive Targets and Contracts Mode: https://t.co/95R1pIKcph pic.twitter.com/0LYWbqwpip
— IO Interactive (@IOInteractive) August 17, 2020

During its initial run, Elusive Targets was a hit because of the challenge that each new contract provided. There was even a point that gamers got the chance to assassinate popular yet perpetually dead actor Sean Bean in the game. Yet as time has gone on, that popularity has steadily decreased. A frequent criticism of the concept has been its time-gated nature.

"In ‘Hitman 3,’ we're making some changes to the Elusive Target formula that we'll reveal at a later date," promised I/O Interactive in what seems to be a response to the mode’s feedback.

Aside from Elusive Targets, three other gameplay modes are also being added to “Hitman 3” in the form of Escalations, Contracts Mode, and Sniper Assassin.

Escalations will introduce new complications as you progress through a contract. At one stage, Agent 47 may not be able to wear a disguise, or there may be more security cameras at the level than usual.

In Contracts Mode, the game will allow you to pick a target, eliminate them, and then challenge your friends to do the same.

Finally, in the case of Sniper Assassin, you are tasked with taking out a target from afar. Whereas in “Hitman 2,” you could play this with a friend. That will not be the case with “Hitman 3.”

Also, Ghost Mode, where you kill targets faster and cleaner than your opponent, is being removed for “Hitman 3.” You have until August 31st to play the competitive multiplayer on “Hitman 2,” at which point the studio will shut down the servers that host the mode.