IO Interactive introduced a new chapter in its evolution for a shooter franchise, and the update aimed at redefining how players experience the mode known as the freelancer. The release, initially scheduled for January 2023, was paused to allow a deeper refinement of the features described for this major update. With the revised timeline, the title will begin its first player tests on the Steam version in November, giving the team a crucial early look at how the new content performs in real-world use and under live conditions.
In this phase, PC players will be invited to explore a customizable base of operations and a fresh mission system that borrows mechanics from roguelike dungeon crawlers. The goal is to empower squads to coordinate more effectively, manage resources, and track progress across evolving scenarios. A core focus will be to balance the new economy and experience points in ways that feel rewarding while remaining challenging as players push through increasingly demanding encounters.
IO Interactive explains that the testing will involve a “selected audience” of participants who will gain access to the essential aspects of the project while preserving some surprises for the broader launch. The studio characterizes the closed technical test as a stress test for servers to ensure readiness for launch and as an opportunity to observe player behavior and balance in a realistically scaled environment. The team stresses that this phase is about gathering actionable feedback and validating performance under load, so the final tuning can be precise and deliberate.
The developer emphasizes careful crafting a mod that could have a meaningful impact on the staying power of the Hitman 3 experience. The broader plan envisions expanding the scope to include missions and challenges across all Murder World maps already present in the game. Aiming for broad accessibility, the update should be free for players across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, reflecting a commitment to a wide audience base and a seamless continuation of the Murder World universe across platforms.