IO Interactive has officially revealed a co-op multiplayer mode for Hitman, showing live gameplay for the first time during the June 2025 IO Showcase. Following the event, Christian Elverdam, chief creative officer, explained the mode’s development and its long-term significance for the franchise. The announcement reinforces IOI’s commitment to the World of Assassination platform, confirming that the trilogy continues to grow even after years of updates and additions.
Christian Elverdam details early prototypes and gameplay shifts.
In a post-show interview, Elverdam discussed the origin of the new co-op concept. He stated that the team had experimented with multiplayer options during the development of earlier titles but chose to wait until they could implement it meaningfully. According to Elverdam, co-op creates fundamentally different gameplay opportunities—“a gazillion ways,” as he put it—for players to approach missions. For example, one player could stay in stealth while the other distracts guards or manipulates the environment. IOI sees these dynamics as a natural evolution of the sandbox experience that defines the series.
Hitman’s World of Assassination continues to expand.
The introduction of co-op is the latest update in IOI’s broader plan for the Hitman: World of Assassination framework. Launched initially as Hitman 3 in January 2021, the game evolved in early 2023 into a unified platform that combined content from Hitman 1 and Hitman 2. With this consolidation came the Freelancer mode—a single-player roguelike system that introduced randomization and progression-based gameplay within familiar levels. The co-op update now continues that trajectory by introducing real-time multiplayer coordination into existing mission structures.
The return of Stone and Knight from Sniper Assassin
Players familiar with Hitman 2 may recognize the Stone and Knight duo from the cooperative Sniper Assassin mode. That earlier experiment allowed two players to work together from a distance, taking down targets with synchronized sniper shots. This new co-op mode, however, expands on that foundation. Rather than limiting players to long-range eliminations, Stone and Knight now operate in full, close-quarters missions. IOI confirmed that these characters would be playable in the upcoming mode, alongside Agent 47, though they are not simply clones. Instead, they will showcase their gear, behaviors, and limitations, including disguise rules and character-specific mechanics.
How disguises and mechanics might work in co-op
One key question raised by the community involves disguises. In the gameplay demo, one player—likely Knight, who appears to be female—is shown dragging a male NPC’s body and is prompted to take the disguise. This led fans to speculate whether the game would allow female characters to wear male disguises or whether new limitations would be introduced in co-op. The disguise system has always been central to Hitman gameplay, so any deviations could significantly affect how players plan and execute missions together.
On Reddit, multiple users debated the implications. Some pointed out that if Knight can wear male disguises, it would break the series’ prior logic. Others argued that co-op gameplay needs flexibility, especially when working within time-sensitive missions or split tasks. IOI has not yet clarified these mechanics in detail, though fans expect an official update closer to release.
Fan reactions to the Hitman co-op mode announcement
Reception from the community has been largely positive. On Reddit and other platforms, players expressed enthusiasm about co-op returning to the franchise. Comments such as “slow clap for IOI” and “I’ve been waiting for this for years” appeared frequently after the reveal. Many fans compared the upcoming mode to Splinter Cell’s cooperative campaign, which allowed players to coordinate complex stealth missions. The general tone suggests long-time players see this as a long-overdue evolution of Hitman’s sandbox design.
Mission availability and co-op limitations at launch
While the reveal generated hype, not all details are available yet. Based on statements from IOI and analysis from community members, the new mode will launch with a limited set of missions. The developers referred to it as “a set of exciting missions,” which likely rules out full campaign co-op across all maps at release. Instead, the co-op content may be launched in waves or as a separate mission thread, explicitly designed for two-player gameplay. That modular approach would align with IOI’s recent updates, such as Freelancer, which focused on standalone systems rather than retrofitting the entire campaign.
Will Hitman co-op support cross-platform play?
Another major question concerns cross-play functionality. Players have asked whether the co-op mode will allow friends on different platforms to join the same session. As of now, IOI has not provided any official confirmation. Similarly, there has been no mention of local co-op or split-screen support. Given the series’ design and technical history, local play appears unlikely. Still, online multiplayer with the cross-platform backing could become essential for broader engagement, especially with next-gen consoles and PC players using different storefronts and services.
Co-op mode joins broader IOI development slate.
The reveal of co-op gameplay comes at a time when IO Interactive is expanding its development focus. During the same June 2025 showcase, the studio teased a James Bond-themed DLC titled “First Light.” This indicates IOI is managing parallel projects while maintaining active development on Hitman. The decision to continue building Hitman’s ecosystem shows that the studio views the World of Assassination framework as more than a trilogy—it’s now a long-term platform capable of hosting new characters, missions, and experimental mechanics.
Platform availability for the Hitman trilogy
Currently, Hitman: World of Assassination is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows. On June 5, 2025, the trilogy also became available for the Nintendo Switch 2. That port allows players to access the entire World of Assassination experience, although performance and features vary depending on the hardware. IOI’s continued platform support suggests they aim to make upcoming content, including co-op, available across all systems. However, release schedules and feature parity may differ between platforms.
Long-term plans and timing for Hitman co-op
Elverdam declined to give a firm release date for the co-op mode. Instead, he emphasized that IOI would continue supporting World of Assassination “until we’re done figuring out what this can be.” That phrasing suggests the mode may launch in a beta or limited form, with features being rolled out progressively. Given IOI’s approach to Freelancer mode, a soft launch followed by community-driven iteration seems likely. For more game reviews and news, stay tuned to our website. Looking for more? Visit our YouTube channel for in-depth guides, exciting gameplay, and the latest updates!
