Hitman 3: Cloud Version Announced For Nintendo Switch
Hitman 3 was already aiming for a wide release across every conceivable platform, and now it's coming to Nintendo Switch thanks to cloud gaming.
As part of today's Nintendo Switch Partner Direct, it was announced that Hitman 3 would be headed to the Switch via the power of the cloud when it releases in January 2021. Hitman 3 is the upcoming final title in the new trilogy of Hitman games that kicked off this console generation, finishing off the subtle narrative weaved through many open-world levels, elusive targets, and ridiculous costumes. Already scheduled for release across both next-gen and current-gen systems, PC via the Epic Games Store and even Google Stadia, it seems that the developers at IO Interactive want to ensure that everyone possible gets to experience the latest adventure in the world of assassination.
Hitman 3 was already set for a cloud gaming release on Google Stadia, and that's not the only technological innovation the game embraces. On PlayStation platforms, the entire trilogy is getting a PlayStation VR port, meaning that old levels get a unique first-person perspective and new mechanics to play around with. Also of note, players who owned the previous games in the trilogy on other platforms can transfer those levels into Hitman 3. Because this is the first release from the trilogy on Nintendo's portable, it's unclear if/when Nintendo Switch players will get access to that content.
As announced in a teaser trailer during this morning Nintendo Partner Showcase, Hitman 3 will be one of the first games to take advantage of Nintendo's cloud gaming initiative on Switch. This means that IO Interactive's stealth game won't run natively on the Switch. Instead, players will log into a video stream of the game and control it remotely, much as they might do on Google Stadia or Amazon Luna. While this introduces the usually MMO exclusive concept of waiting in line to play a game to console players, it's a great workaround that allows Nintendo to keep releasing next-gen games on their underpowered hardware.
Agent 47's latest adventure promises to be the most advanced and expansive yet. Several new locations have already been shown off, including an English countryside map seemingly based on recent blockbuster film Knives Out and a trek through the affluent streets of Dubai. The game is stepping back on its multiplayer modes, stripping out the co-op from Sniper Assassin missions and removing the experimental Ghost Mode IO Interactive introduced in Hitman 2. This could also be to ensure that enough development time is put in to facilitate cloud versions like the Nintendo Switch release, something that is still very new across the industry.
Nintendo Switch owners likely didn't expect the announcement that Hitman 3 would be coming to their platform of choice, but the news is great in both the short term and the long term. With Nintendo seemingly toying around with an upgraded model that could run more advanced games, cloud technology will likely fill in the gaps and prevent certain release from being exclusive to the Switch Pro. Considering the massive sales that many games see on Switch when compared to every other platform, it's worth it for all parties to invest in technology that lets players take the latest and greatest in gaming wherever they end up going.
Hitman 3 will be available on all platforms in January 2021.
Source: Hitman