It looks like Hitman 3 is going to optimise memory usage for the stealth game trilogy, and retroactively improve the previous two instalments. A developer from IO Interactive has commented that the upcoming game will turn IO’s work on Agent 47 into a neat little package.
In a thread on ResetEra, a verified member of the IO Interactive team discussed some technical details on the action-adventure game. Perhaps the most pertinent piece of information is that Hitman 3 will reduce the combined file size of the trilogy to 100GB, or thereabouts. “We have managed to get the size of the game down significantly. All three games with all content will take up around 100GB,” the developer writes, explaining further: “Biggest wins are because of data management and file structures and how we deliver the game so we could remove duplicate data. We also use newer and better compression for textures – that helps too.”
This isn’t the only upgrade coming in 47’s latest escapades, Hitman and Hitman 2 will get fresh licks of paint, as well. “We upgraded the engine with screenspace reflections,” the developer says. “Best thing? It’s backwards compatible with the previous two games in the trilogy and lots of surfaces has been upgraded.”
While the latter is certainly a plus, the consolidation of space is a relief. The episodic structure of IO’s Hitman games means having both readily playable takes up a fair chunk of hard drive at around 110GB, give-or-take for DLC and what have you. The three together at less than that, all looking better and running as smooth as ever, is very appealing indeed.
This thread spun out of Game Informer’s reveal of five minutes of gameplay from Hitman 3, which you can watch here:
IO Interactive has already revealed its next project, a James Bond game mysteriously known as Project 007. We’re just a little over two weeks away from the Hitman 3 release date.