Hitman Delayed into 2016 to Increase Amount of Content Available at Launch

IO Interactive has announced the release of its latest Hitman title will be moved from December 2015 into March 2016.

Explaining the decision, the studio said the delay allows Hitman, which will be released digitally with a portion of the complete experience and then receive new episodes, to expand what's available at launch.

"These few extra months will mean we can add more to the launch content of the game, more than we had originally planned, and then follow with a tighter frequency of updates, which ultimately will create a better game for everyone. And in the end, that’s what we’re all looking for," it said.

"Moving a launch date is never an easy decision," the studio continued. "We know it’s frustrating to have to wait a bit longer for the game, but we truly believe it will mean we can deliver a better launch and overall experience."

IO has said it will share more details on the release date next week about the full release schedule and also further discuss the scope of the release package.

Addressing concerns about the breadth of content that will be available when the game launches, Square Enix Europe CEO Phil Rogers said that the Hitman fans play on day one won't be "unfinished."

"We want to keep the business model very simple," he said. "There's going to be one price, so we're not talking microtransactions, and it allows us to evolve the content itself... Gamers don't want unfinished content, so we're being very clear. This is going to be AAA, polished Hitman as you'd expect. But we can continue to create experiences, so the world only expands. We're experimenting."

The new Hitman is due for release on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC across digital channels. A physical version of the game is also expected for release later in 2016. Square Enix has not yet confirmed exactly when a disc will be available, but it is likely after all the content has been released digitally.