'Hitman' latest news: Professional Difficulty to be added in-game; next free update to arrive in late January

Sheanne Aguila Friday, January 27, 2017

Promotional image for the stealth video game "Hitman" | IO Interactive / Square Enix

A new level of difficulty will be introduced in the upcoming January update for "Hitman," Io Interactive announced last Wednesday.

According to reports, the next update gives the stealth video game an interesting twist by launching the Professional Difficulty level. The new content is scheduled to come out on Jan. 31, and it will be free for players across all platforms.

Developed for skilled players who are looking to make the gameplay experience more challenging, Professional Difficulty can only be accessed after reaching Mastery Level 20 for a particular location.The setting brings up various restrictions and enhancements on an item's availability. It also features security cameras, advanced AI as opponents, a new set of rewards, and a limited number of saves.

Changes will also be seen in the game's leaderboards as the new update makes it segmented by difficulty level. Professional Difficulty can be played for all story missions in the first season, but it cannot be accessible in the prologue. Meanwhile, live content, including Escalation Targets and Elusive Targets, will only be available in the original difficulty level.

Beginning in March 2016, "Hitman" was launched in an episodic format, with 10 months worth of content. The next update coincides with the physical release of "Hitman's" first season later this month. The disc comes with a steelbook case and costs $49.99 on PC and $59.99 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

"Hitman" lead writer Michael Vogt spoke with Gamespot earlier this month, and he revealed that the first season is just the beginning of a more ambitious storyline. He also confirmed that the studio is planning to develop several seasons while building the ensemble cast.

"The story's really only beginning [with the first season]," he explained. "Season 1 is the first act in a feature film. You know all the characters, you know the stakes, you know the dilemma, but it's only getting started," he added.