‘Hitman 3’ Year 2 roadmap includes ray tracing update and PC VR launch in 2022

IO Interactive has revealed the roadmap for “Hitman 3” Year 2, and it includes major updates for the game that will add ray tracking support next year. The developer also confirmed that a virtual reality (VR) port would be released on PC.

Visual improvements were some of the biggest features included when “Hitman 3” was released earlier this year. In a blog post published on Monday, the developer noted that the game had been enhanced on PC for gamers that use 8+ core CPUs and by adding support for variable rate shading.

The studio plans on improving the game further on the platform. IO Interactive confirmed that “Hitman 3” will get ray tracing support sometime in 2022. Simply put, ray tracing is a rendering technique that mimics how light travels from one object to another as it would in real life, making graphics more realistic in video games. While more GPUs, along with PS5 and Xbox Series X, now support ray tracing, it still depends on the developers if the titles they produce would support this technique.

Shortly after the game’s launch last January, the studio confirmed that the feature is also planned for Xbox Series X, while there is still no word yet if that applies to PS5 as well. To this day, though, the developer has yet to deliver the feature to Xbox Series X. This week’s announcement was also specific that the “Hitman 3” ray tracing will be available to PC gamers, suggesting that its addition on new-generation consoles within the Year 2 roadmap does not have a time frame yet.

Another significant item on the “Hitman 3” Year 2 roadmap is the release of its VR version on PC sometime in January 2022. Note that the game launched with support for PlayStation VR.

“Hitman 3” is also getting an arcade mode to play Elusive Targets, which will be a “permanent addition” to the game once it goes live in January of next year as well. Other details about the Year 2 roadmap are still under wraps, but IO Interactive confirmed it also includes new maps and storylines.

There is also a “redacted” major update planned to launch in spring 2022. Specific release dates for the new content and updates are still unknown, but IO Interactive confirmed Year 2 roadmap begins on Jan. 20, 2022 – exactly one year from the game’s launch.