Do you have a juicy bit of Hitman info? If so, send an e-mail to HitmanHQ at hitman@3dactionplanet.com.

		Tuesday, November 9, 2004

Hitman Headed Stateside in Sequel 11/9/2004 | 08:11 PST - Tech21 For the first time in his short gaming life, Agent 47 will be coming to America in the new Hitman game announced by Eidos last week. Hitman: Blood Money, the fourth title in the series, is scheduled for a spring 2005 release. Not much detail is known, other than a few tidbits offered in the press release. We now know the money system from Codename 47 has returned (revamped, of course), and that the story draws 47 to the United States. From visual hints on the website, one of those locations appears to be Las Vegas. Check out the full press release below. EIDOS ANNOUNCES HITMAN: BLOOD MONEY Spring 2005 release for the latest instalment in the multi-million selling Hitman series Eidos, one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, announces the return of the world's deadliest assassin in Hitman: Blood MoneyTM. Developed by Io Interactive, Hitman Blood Money will be released worldwide in spring 2005 on PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC. When assassins from Agent 47's contract agency, The ICA, are systematically eliminated in a series of hits, it seems a larger, more powerful agency has entered the fray. For Agent 47 it's business as usual, until suddenly he loses contact with The ICA. Sensing that he may be the next target, he travels to America, where he prepares to make a killing. Agent 47 is back and this time he's paid in cold, hard cash. How the money is spent will affect his passage through the game and the weapons at his disposal, resulting in a unique gameplay experience for each player. Powered by a new version of Io's stunning Glacier engine, Hitman: Blood Money will deliver the most brutal and realistic simulation of life as the world's deadliest assassin. Mike McGarvey, ceo of Eidos says: "The Hitman series is one of Eidos' biggest franchises and goes from strength to strength with every new instalment. Io-Interactive is one of the world's most accomplished developers, and yet again has raised the stakes in terms of graphics and gameplay with Hitman: Blood Money." Janos Flösser, managing director of Io-Interactive says: "Considerable time and effort has been spent developing a new version of the Glacier engine that enables us to implement many new and exciting features. The quality of the graphics and A.I. surpasses even our own expectations and this combined with a gripping narrative and the introduction of some really inventive characters makes us confident that Blood Money will be the greatest Hitman title to date." Website: www.hitman.com Expect more updates in the following weeks, with a brand new, redesigned HitmanHQ messageboard.

		Saturday, May 1, 2004

Hitman: Contracts Patch Released 5/1/2004 | 09:05 PST - Tech21 Eidos has released the first patch for Hitman: Contracts, addressing many crash issues and graphical errors. Here is a full listing of the fixes: Crash Fixes: Fixed crash on ATI Radeon 8500, 9000 and 9200 on startup. Fixed crash when Restarting Asylum Aftermath level numerous times. Fixed crash when user got shot after reviving HM from slow-mo death sequence. Fixed crash while watching the free agent cut scene on the Lee Hong Assassination level. Fixed crash when user saved whilst highlighting an action (such as Pick lock, jump balcony, Change Clothes, Place sign etc). Fixed Crash with Post-Filter on High: After death sequence inside the manor on Beldingford Manor level, or inside meat plant on Meat King level. Graphical Fixes: During and after "free agent" cut scene on Lee Hong Assassination level screen would turn black. With Post-Filter set to High, would cause screen to go almost jet-black on "Hunter and the Hunted" level when user by rooftop location. Post Filter set to High made sniper scope blurry. Other Fixes: Unable to fire sniper rifle if 'fire' is set to Right Mouse button. 47 could get stuck in the first door on Asylum aftermath level. Loading a save game transported 47 to a different location on Lee Hong level. Credits do not appear at end of game. Downloads are available for all versions at this Eidos support page.

		Thursday, April 29, 2004

Single Hardballer Returns 4/29/2004 | 13:04 PST - Tech21 A HitmanHQ reader has sent along this interesting exploit of the "giveall" cheat in Hitman 2. Here it is, paraphrased: Activate the "giveall" cheat and complete any mission with the cheat enabled. Now all the weapons will be present in your garden shed. Now play "Basement Killing" and complete it with a Silent Assassin ranking to earn you the Silenced Ballers. But because they are already in your shed, you will now have two pairs of Ballers. The next time you play a mission, however, and equip the normal Ballers (not SD), there will only be one Baller in your hand, and it is fired in the same way as any other single pistol. Note: The Baller can't be equiped normally via weapon menu; it has to be equipped by pressing the pistol key (2).

iGuides Online Extras 4/29/2004 | 12:04 PST - Tech21 Remember the Hitman: Contracts iGuide? The flashy, DVD walkthrough that includes bonus content like developer interviews and backstory? Well, the makers of the iGuide have made some of the content available for free on their website. There is bonus content, including the "Hitman Gone Wild" video and texture and wireframe renders from each of the missions. Or you can check out the cheat sheets, a Silent Assassin walkthrough of each mission in graphical PDF format.

		Tuesday, April 27, 2004

Hitman: Contracts Demo Released 4/27/2004 | 08:04 PST - Tech21 Europe has three days to wait for the full release of Hitman: Contracts, but Eidos has temporarily quenched the thirst with the release of a playable demo. The file size clocks in at a whopping 187.5 MB and is available at the Contracts download page. Note: As of 12:00 p.m. EST, the download link is not working. It may be worth trying throughout the day. Update: Working download mirrors are available at FilePlanet, 3DGamers, 3D Downloads, Computer Games Online, FileFront, Filerush, Gamer's Hell, GameSpot DLX, and Worthplaying.

		Saturday, April 24, 2004

GameSpy's Review 4/24/2004 | 11:04 PST - Tech21 Four-out-of-five stars. That's GameSpy's verdict for Hitman: Contracts, reviewed Friday for the PS2 and Xbox. Most action movies are judged by their high-spots -- amazing and unforgettable scenes. Video games are finally catching up to this, and Hitman is at the forefront. The reviewer praises many of the devices - namely disguises - that others have found fault with, and speaks highly of the game's style and graphic effects. Hitman: Contracts is a damn good game. It's probably not going to win any awards, especially in a genre with Ninja Gaiden and Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow. However, I enjoyed it just as much as those two games. It's got a nice open-ended style, a character that fits the gimmick, and plenty of violence.

		Friday, April 23, 2004

New Contracts Review 4/23/2004 | 13:04 PST - Tech21 ActionTrip has posted a review of the Xbox version of Hitman: Contracts, giving the game a score on-par score of 75. Some notable quotes: Although nothing too serious, the game does tend to exhibit average AI behavioral patterns. This goes for both enemies as well as civilian NPC's. While it is fun trying to sneak around and figure out the correct way to accomplish the mission, it's apparent that the process of make a little progress, save the game, explore and screw up, reload and try it again routine is going to be a hallmark of gameplay. ...I really should not expect fuzzy bunnies and rainbows, but the amount of violence in the game was still a shock to me since I do not normally play games that are this violent. All in all, violence and some of the mentioned mishaps aside, it's a still good looking game. The sounds in the game are also top notch. As Hitman visits different locals to do his job, character voices are done in their native language and help to immerse the player in the game. Music is moody and applied perfectly in each situation.

		Thursday, April 22, 2004

Review On Games Domain 4/22/2004 | 08:04 PST - Tech21 Day two, review two. This time the critique comes via Games Domain, who give Hitman: Contracts a solid 7. The reviewer likes the game's style, and (gasp) controls, but contends that it's missing some flair. About the missions: While an interesting collage as a whole, these vignettes ultimately suffer for their presentation. Because no single meaningful goal underscores the yarn, the collection of available assignments feels haphazardly strung together. He also notes the artificial intelligence as "spotty at times, too vigilant at others, periodically throwing the best laid plans awry to boot. The bottom line: patience is a prerequisite, and this isn't a game for the short-tempered."

		Wednesday, April 21, 2004

Contracts Review On GameSpot 4/21/2004 | 09:04 PST - Tech21 GameSpot offers up a review of Hitman: Contracts the day it hits North American stores. The review brings up most of the points addressed by IGN, most notably the lack of innovation for the series, but contends that the game is still a solid entrance. Score: 7.6 (good). The third game in the Hitman series can be thought of as an expansion pack--or a supplement--to the previous game. There isn't much resolution at the end of Hitman: Contracts, so it seems safe to assume that the series is going to continue. Hopefully, then, for his next assignment, 47 will pack a few more tricks up his sleeve. For the time being, though, Hitman: Contracts delivers some time-tested and sometimes highly entertaining stealth action, which any fan of the genre might as well check out.

		Monday, April 19, 2004

IGN Reviews Contracts 4/19/2004 | 14:04 PST - Tech21 It's the first review of Hitman: Contracts, and it looks like the new game is being received just like Hitman 2 was. It's good, but not groundbreaking. Score: 8.4. As the reviewer states, I figured after two years, Contracts would be this massive improvement in every manner, the way that Hitman 2: Silent Assassin made a distinct leap from the first Hitman. But I was wrong. IO Interactive has remained focused on what it does extremely well, which is to design fantastically elaborate levels, giving players countless ways to beat a level. He has further problems with lack of story, awkward camera, and 47's awkward movements. The good parts: "There are brilliant levels, smart AI, an amazing array of choices to execute your plans, and some funny dialog, too. And the replay value is essentially unrivaled as a single-player offline game." The reviewers states that his favorite game in the series is Hitman 2, which could mean one of two things: 1. Contracts has a feel more similar to the original, or, 2. It's more of Hitman 2, but not as good.

GameSpot's Updated Impressions 4/19/2004 | 14:04 PST - Tech21 The guys at GameSpot had a chance to play through another mission from Hitman: Contracts. "During this new mission, 47 must assassinate a prisoner who is being tortured for information before he breaks and begins to talk. The prisoner is being held in the basement of a bar that's located in the middle of a hostile gang's compound, so getting to this target won't be easy for 47." The article describes two different ways 47 was able to complete his task.

		Saturday, April 17, 2004

Preview On GameSpy 4/17/2004 | 10:04 PST - Tech21 As the Hitman: Contracts release date draws dangerously close, GameSpy has updated with a hands-on preview of the PS2 and Xbox versions of the game. Of note: "Though Contracts relies on visuals that are generally on par with Hitman 2, you'll see far more people congregating in open spaces, making for a more intense experience when you'd just like to cut some throats and go home." This was one of the welcome additions mant fans asked for - more civilians, more often.

Official Site Updates 4/17/2004 | 09:04 PST - Tech21 This is it - the last Friday before Hitman: Contracts breaks onto store shelves across North America. (Unfortunately, Europe will be collectively twiddling their thumbs for an extra seven days.) The updates to the official site include: "Psychology of the Assassin" Trailer Part 3 New background info on the Agency New location revealed New characters Two new weapons & a new "name the weapon" competition New ccreenshots, wallpapers & Buddy Icons A new music track to download Eidos is also offering a chance to win two tickets to see the Howard Stern Show live in the studio.

		Friday, April 16, 2004

IGN's Guide To Contract Killing 4/16/2004 | 06:04 PST - Tech21 The editors at IGN get down and dirty with some live-action demonstrations of the unconventional weapons in Hitman: Contracts. Thankfully, the low budget thrills are backed up with some gameplay footage showing the real Hitman at work. 47's work with the pillow is especially cool (or disturbing, depending on your standards).

		Tuesday, April 13, 2004

Contracts Previews 4/13/2004 | 14:04 PST - Tech21 There are new Hitman: Contracts previews up on UGO's Console Gameworld and Worthplaying (Xbox). Worthplaying has posted some new screenshots along with the preview, including glimpses at the title screen and objectives screen.

Hitman: Contracts Gone Gold 4/13/2004 | 14:04 PST - Tech21 Blue's News reports today that Hitman: Contracts is officially gold for the PC, Xbox and PS2, and is due in stores April 21 in North America and April 30 in Europe. There is a rather lengthy (but entertaining) press release to go along with the announcement that describes the upcoming marketing campaign. Some of the highlights include live radio readings on the Howard Stern show during the second annual “Mrs. Butterface” contest the week of May 10, 2004. Ads will also be appearing in mainstream mags including FHM, Blender, Penthouse and Stuff. The campaign will be one of the largest to date by Eidos North America, the release states.

		Monday, April 12, 2004

Hitman: Contracts DVD Strategy Guide 4/12/2004 | 09:04 PST - Tech21 A company called g-Net Media has inked a deal with Eidos Interactive to exclusively publish DVD strategy guides for all Eidos' upcoming games released in English-speaking territories. The first "iGuide" to hit the market is for Hitman: Contracts. According to the press release, the interactive guide will feature: The Hitman back-story A video walkthrough demonstrating perfect gameplay "Hitman Gone Wild": exclusive, racy game content that was cut from the game in order to achieve an "M" rating "Hitman's Top Hits": an original video countdown of the most spectacular assassinations found in Hitman: Contracts "Rock this Game": An exclusive music promotion with Universal Music featuring music videos and behind-the-scenes footage from hit band AFI The definitive Hitman Interactive Trivia Quiz Handy printable "cheat sheets" for each level and a companion web component Video-based galleries on gameplay, weapons, items, and maps and more ... "g-NET will soon be launching a teaser website with never-before-seen footage from both the iGuide and game, including level walkthroughs and weapons usage," the release stated.

		Sunday, April 11, 2004

Community Mod Project Gets Head Start 4/11/2004 | 08:04 PST - Tech21 Hitman: American Style is the name of a planned Hitman modification that is currently seeking volunteers to start preproduction. Says project lead Mike Pineau, "Despite the fact IO has not released any SDK tools, I believe they eventually will. That's why Hitman: American Style was started up. We'll have a large jump on everyone else because all preproduction work will have been completed." More information and a list of open positions is available on the website.

		Saturday, April 10, 2004

Screenshots On GameSpot 4/10/2004 | 18:04 PST - Tech21 GameSpot added four new Hitman: Contracts screenshots to its gallery Friday. These captures appear to be from the opening Sanitarium mission.

		Friday, April 9, 2004

Official Site Updates 4/9/2004 | 14:04 PST - Tech21 It's Friday, again. And we all know what that means: new updates to the official Hitman: Contracts website. The Sanitarium fly-over is revealed, as well as a new character and soundtrack selection. The new TV commercial is available for download as well.

		Thursday, April 8, 2004

Hitman 4 in 2005 4/8/2004 | 09:04 PST - Tech21 A news article on IGN confirms that Hitman 4 is part of Eidos' financial year 2005. IO Interactive's Freedom Fighters will also get a sequel - this time published by Eidos, not Electronic Arts. The publisher switch is no doubt a result of Eidos' recent aquisition of IO.

New Developer Diary On GameSpy 4/8/2004 | 09:04 PST - Tech21 Jens Peter Kurup, lead designer on Hitman: Contracts, contributes to part two of GameSpy's Contracts developer diary. Kurup discusses how the flashbacks will tie together the two previous games, and how the reinvented missions will be played "as 47 remembers them" in his delirious state.

		Monday, April 5, 2004

Hands-on Preview on ActionTrip 4/5/2004 | 19:04 PST - Tech21 ActionTrip has posted thoughts on their playtime with the Xbox version of Hitman: Contracts. On the new Glacier engine and the game's visual design: Hitman: Contracts features some interesting visual moments such as the captivating soft focus present in every mission, making the atmosphere creepy and slightly noir. This, in turn, establishes a perfect dream-like ambiance, with sort of a hazy perspective to correspond with 47's reverie.

Prima Mini-Guide Reveals Mission One 4/5/2004 | 14:04 PST - Tech21 Go to EBGames.com, and follow the Hitman: Contracts link under "Specialty Shops" on the left side of the page. Along with screenshots, wallpapers, trailers and AIM icons, you'll find a "Prima Mini-Guide." Essentially, it's the first chapter of the real Contracts Prima Strategy Guide and walks you through the entire first mission, "Asylum Aftermath." The action picks up immediately from the end of Hitman: Codename 47, and 47 must escape the sanitarium after killing Professor Ort-Meyer. The spoiler alert goes without saying.

Official Site Updates 4/5/2004 | 14:04 PST - Tech21 Eidos added another round of updates to the official Hitman: Contracts website Friday. The update reveals the first "revisited" location - Rotterdam Harbor, as well as two new characters and weapons. A new soundtrack section offers for download two of the game's music track in MP3 format.

		Monday, March 8, 2004

Fourth Hitman Game Confirmed 3/8/2004 | 13:03 PST - Tech21 Yes, with Hitman: Contracts still behind the starting gates, Computer and Video Games is reporting that Eidos CEO Mike McGarvey confirmed via conference call that a fourth Hitman game will be ready for spring 2005.

		Saturday, March 6, 2004

Hitman Movie Talk 3/6/2004 | 09:03 PST - Tech21 Computer and Video Games reported Thursday that Eidos execs said the Hitman movie is closer to becoming a reality. Eidos's chief executive Mike McGarvey said, "We're a quite a bit down the road in terms of that [movie deal] and we're in the final stages of deciding on the production company. I would say [a deal] is potentially imminent." When asked for a time frame McGarvey commented: "Well it's Hollywood... Anything goes in Hollywood. We could be six months."

		Friday, March 5, 2004

Official Site Updated, New Trailer 3/5/2004 | 13:03 PST - Tech21 Eidos has added brand new material to the official Hitman: Contracts website, including info on the Siberia level, new characters, weapons, screenshots, art and a screensaver. The all-new trailer gives us a glimpse at many of the Hitman's targets this time around, as well as some familiar faces. A certain bodyguard of Lee Hong's appears briefly, and it looks like the Fuchs brothers are back in action (god bless the flashback technique). And adding to the confusion, the release date stated on the site and in the new trailer is April 21, 2004. So, even with all the conflicting reports, one thing is certain: Contracts will come in April.

Eidos Buys Up IO Interactive 3/5/2004 | 09:03 PST - Tech21 Eidos Interactive has reached an agreement to aquire IO Interactive, developer of the Hitman series. The press release stated that the aquisition will secure Eidos publishing rights for future Hitman titles allow IO's technology to be used across Eidos' line of products. Mike McGarvey, CEO of Eidos, said: "We welcome the IO team of outstanding, technically creative developers, who we know share our vision and values. The relationship and experience we have already shared over the past five years gives us great confidence in their ability not only to maintain the outstanding success of Hitman, but also to develop new titles of unique IP. In addition, their market leading technology will be a key element in the Group's transition to next generation platforms." Janos Flösser, Managing Director of IO Interactive, said: "Eidos is an ideal partner for IO with an inspired and successful management team who share a similar production and development ethos to our own. We are delighted to take our existing relationship to the next stage. We will look to continue producing successful franchises, such as Hitman, and help to define a winning technology platform which has the potential to be more widely used across the Eidos studios." The press release also states Hitman: Contracts will be released on April 30, 2004.

		Monday, March 1, 2004

PC Gamer's Release Date 3/1/2004 | 18:03 PST - Tech21 According to Norm's Release Meter in the March issue of PC Gamer, the Hitman: Contracts release date is set for April 6, 2004. Gone Gold hasn't updated for April as of yet, and the official website still lists an "April 2004" release.

		Thursday, February 26, 2004

Hitman: Contracts Preview On GameSpy 2/26/2004 | 09:02 PST - Tech21 HitmanHQ's daddy site, GameSpy, previews Hitman: Contracts today for all three platforms. We get some insight into the Siberia level, and the different options available in the completing the mission. The unconventional story and new graphical enhancements are also discussed. Most interesting is a comment as to how the graphical look of the game will impact the player's experience: "While playing the game, one of the developers remarked that the game has a Twilight Zone feel -- it's reality, but not quite right."

		Monday, February 16, 2004

Hitman Remixes Abound 2/16/2004 | 20:02 PST - Tech21 Move over, Jesper Kyd. And please don't file a lawsuit (these fall under fair use, I think). Two Hitman fans have tried their hand at remixes of the Hitman 2 title music. First up is Bart Klepka's "Hitman 2 (47's Requiem Mix)" available at Klepka's website, bart.overclocked.org. The second track, titled "47", is actually not a remix, but an original composition that attempts to capture the essence of Kyd's work on the first two games. It was written by none other than HitmanHQ's own, The Button Man, and is available on The Phonic Monkeys website.

Video Interview On IGN 2/16/2004 | 19:02 PST - Tech21 If anyone is lucky enough to be an IGN Insider subscriber, you can sink your teeth into a video interview with Hitman: Contracts level designer Rasmus Hoejengaard. The boys at IGN just recently returned from a visit to Eidos' San Francisco office, where "a few of the folks from Io Interactive were on hand to give us a walkthrough of the game, including a few of its levels, some of the new weapons, new rendering techniques and graphical improvements, and a whole lot more." The annual Insider fee is $24.95, if you really want to see the video.

		Sunday, February 15, 2004

Contracts Preview On Computer And Video Games 2/15/2004 | 12:02 PST - Tech21 Fresh off a trip to Eidos' London headquarters, Computer and Video Games offers up some first impressions of the PS2 version of Hitman: Contracts. The preview reveals some nice tidbits about the "slaughterhouse" mission and more on the storyline. The first impression was also a good impression: "Hitman: Contracts is one of the classiest looking titles we've seen running on a PS2. This bodes well for the Xbox and PC versions, Hitman: Contracts boasting enough neat additions, clever touches and sexy enhancements to prove another must-have addition to the series."

Contracts Coverage On IGN 2/15/2004 | 10:02 PST - Tech21 IGN-PC has posted some in-depth first impressions of Hitman: Contracts. We get some new information on the game's flashback-esque storyline, details on the mission locations, and the introduction of some unorthodox weaponry (read: meat hook). Also on IGN is an interview with Jesper Kyd, the composer behind the Contracts soundtrack. He talks about the music creation process and discusses the darker, less epic, sounds we'll encounter in the third Hitman installment.

		Thursday, February 12, 2004

Jesper Kyd Will Score Third Installment 2/12/2004 | 07:02 PST - Tech21 The news has been out for a month or so, but in case you haven't heard, Jesper Kyd, the man behind the music of Hitman and Hitman 2, will provide the soundtrack for Hitman: Contracts. You can get a taste of the new sounds in the Contracts trailer. Kyd has composed more than 90 minutes of original music for the game. On the project, Kyd said, "The Hitman: Contracts score follows the dark, sinister nature of the third Hitman game. The soundtrack is a dark and adventurous score mixed with suspenseful electronica elements."

GMR Magazine Previews Contracts 2/12/2004 | 06:02 PST - Tech21 There is a brief Hitman: Contracts preview online at GMR Magazine. Nothing much new is revealed; however, they are listing a fall 2004 release date, rather than Io-I's initial spring announcement. "Hitman: Contracts will have ... more ways to kill people with improvisational weaponry like pool cues and other blunt objects and even more options for beating a mission. There will also be more over-the-top settings like the open-heart surgery scene from Silent Assassin."

		Saturday, February 7, 2004

Hitman: Contracts Press Roundup 2/7/2004 | 15:02 PST - Tech21 Interviews and screenshots are beginning to trickle in as Hitman: Contracts approaches its tentative April release date. There are interviews with Jacob Anderson, Contracts game director, on Gamer's Hell and Doupě.cz. The important stuff: the game consists of flashbacks into the Hitman's twisted mind, and the story unfolds in span of an hour. Meanwhile, Computer and Video Games has a batch of five screenshots showing off Io-Interactive's sleek new game engine. There are an additional 31 screenshots on IGN-Xbox.

		Wednesday, February 5, 2003

Hitman On Demand 2/5/2003 | 08:02 PST - Tech21 Hitman and Hitman 2 are both available through Yahoo's online PC game rental service, Games On Demand. The games are streamed to users after an initial cache is downloaded. Single three-day rentals and larger subscription plans are offered at various prices. For newcomers, it's a nice way to try out the games before purchasing the retail. (Thanks Brian)

Hitman Goes Hollywood 2/5/2003 | 07:02 PST - Tech21 Eidos Interactive is in "serious talks" with major film companies to bring Hitman to the big screen, Danish newspaper Børsen reported Monday. "It's not a question of whether or not we are going to Hollywood. It's a question of when," IO-Interactive finance manager Morten Borum told the paper. Borum speculates Paramount Pictures, which produced the feature film based on Eidos' Tomb Raider series, may handle Hitman's film incarnation as well. The Børsen article goes on to state that Hitman: Codename 47 has sold 600,000 copies and Hitman 2: Silent Assassin 1.75 million copies to date. Danish website Computerworld Online also reported on the film talks and added that IO-Interactive is currently at work on a third Hitman game, due for release at the beginning of 2004. Movie website ScreenDaily adds that Hitman 3 has a $43.3 million budget.

		Friday, January 31, 2003

DieselPower: New Version 1/31/2003 | 20:01 PST - Tech21 The new version 1.2.11 of AM:3D's DieselPower for Hitman 2 is now available for download. According to AM:3D developer Henrik Lunardi Weide: A couple of extra checks have been added to make it more robust towards buggy drivers like the ones for the Audigy line of cards (higher streaming latency than most other soundcards) and other soundcard drivers that report that they can support surround channels when in fact they can't. DieselPower is a universal sound driver built specifically for Hitman 2, among several other titles. Downloads are available at the AM:3D website and in the Hitman 2 files section.

Hitman 2 Review 1/31/2003 | 20:01 PST - Tech21 Gaming site The Longest Line has posted a review of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. The title receives a 9/10 overall score: "Hitman 2 is all about the fun, and anyone can appreciate the effort that was made to improve the game from the first iteration. IO Interactive has given us the chance to play a cool-as-ice assassin, and I'd recommend you take them up on their offer. "

		Saturday, January 18, 2003

Hitman Grudge 1/18/2003 | 10:01 PST - Tech21 The contenders in this week's GameSpy Grudge are Agent 47 and a "Pack of Enraged Jawas." As of this writing, the (gasp) Jawas are winning by a narrow margin, so head on over to GameSpy.com and show the world who's boss, then talk about it here. In somewhat unrelated news, Hitman 2 didn't pick up any major honors at GameSpy's Game of the Year awards, but it did receive special recognition for stealth gaming. (Thanks DTRY)

47 vs. Elves? 1/18/2003 | 09:01 PST - Tech21 I'm a little late on this considering Christmas was almost a month ago, but there's a nifty little promotional Flash game over at the Eidos website. A pack of rogue elves and their evil boss have plans on ruining Christmas, so it's up to Santa to call in some professional help from our favorite hitman. The game requires the Macromedia Flash plugin for your browser.

		Thursday, December 26, 2002

Fan of the Year Goes To... 12/26/2002 | 17:12 PST - Tech21 Martin Gonzales, who now has a permanent reminder of just how big a fan of Hitman he really is. Yes, he had the infamous Hitman symbol tatooed on his lower leg (I think). Anyway, have a look at the photo.

New Reviews 12/26/2002 | 17:12 PST - Tech21 Canadian Gamer gives Hitman 2 a score of 87% in its new review. "Hitman 2 is not only a substantial improvement on its predecessor but also a great game in its own right. From beginning to end, Silent Assassin will draw you into the cutthroat world of international intrigue and espionage." Gamer's Depot also has a new Hitman 2 review up, giving it 4.5/5 "drips." "Hitman 2 is so unique it’s not really all that comparable to other games, which is good, very, very good."

Hitman at GameScreenshots.com 12/26/2002 | 16:12 PST - Tech21 Cameron “Chameleoki” DeGroff at GameScreenshots.com sends word that the website has “pictorialized” the original Hitman: Codename 47 with over 550 shots, in selectable galleries for each area. Look for the same treatment for Hitman 2 very soon.

Hitman 2 Grabs GameSpot Awards 12/26/2002 | 15:12 PST - Tech21 Hitman 2: Silent Assassin recently picked up two honors at GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2002. The first award is for Most Improved Sequel on PC, for its revamped controls, first-person view, mid-level saves, and graphical and sound enhancements. The title also won Best Multiplatform Game: "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin was released at about the same time for the PC, Xbox, and PS2, but if you saw any one version of the game, you'd swear that this stylish, stealthy action game must have been made exclusively for that one platform." Hitman 2 was also nominated for Best Single-Player Action Game on PC; Best Action Adventure Game on Xbox and PlayStation 2; Best Music on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 2; and Best Sound on PlayStation 2. (Thanks DTRY)

AM:3D DieselPower Version 1.2.10 12/26/2002 | 15:12 PST - Tech21 Henrik Weide from AM:3D sends word that the new version 1.2.10 of its DieselPower sounds driver for Hitman 2 is now available. The new version supports full 3D sound with elevation on 4-speaker configurations - which should work on all soundcards that have at least front and rear speaker outlets. In addition, it should also work on almost all soundcards that do not have a true DirectSound driver (at least the headphone and 2-speaker mode). Downloads are available at the AM:3D website on the the files page.

		Monday, December 16, 2002

New Hitman 2 Demo 12/16/2002 | 22:12 PST - Tech21 Eidos Interactive has just released a second Hitman 2 demo. This time around players can take on the Spetznaz agent and General Zhupikov at the German Embassy in "Invitation To A Party," mission five in the game. Downloads are available at FilePlanet and 3D Gamers.

		Thursday, November 21, 2002

Hitman 2 Pulled From Shelves in U.K. 11/21/2002 | 20:11 PST - Tech21 The London Sun News reported this morning that thousands of copies of Hitman 2 have been pulled from U.K. store shelves in response to complaints from religious leaders that levels that take place in an Indian temple are offensive to Sikhs (scan of article, thanks Scott Mathews). Previously, Eidos had agreed to remove content from its website and remove the offensive game content in future releases of Hitman 2, but said no copies of the game would be removed from stores. The article also boldly, and falsely, states that "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin includes a level where players take part in a simulation of the 1984 attack on the Golden Temple of Amritsar when 912 Sikhs were killed." British Sikh lawyer Aamar Anwar is quoted as saying, "We do not want some little nerd getting their kicks from killing Sikhs."

Hitman 2 Reviews 11/21/2002 | 08:11 PST - Tech21 Hitman 2 is reviewed on Next Level Gaming, where the game picks up an overall score of 5/6. "Hitman 2: Silent Assasin has had it's share of controversy, but that's because the game is so good it's drawing that attention. Ads on TV have been pulled, and only Howard Stern's been able to talk about it on the air. That's always a good sign." Meanwhile, PC Gaming Xtreme gives the title a slightly lower score, 7.5/10, citing lack of polish with the control scheme and weapons models.

		Tuesday, November 19, 2002

Hitman 2 on Daily Show 11/19/2002 | 17:11 PST - Tech21 Even rappers like Hitman 2! Well, at least Ja Rule does. The hip-hop artist was guest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with John Stewart on Monday, Nov. 18th, and Hitman 2 was apparently one topic of discussion. Reruns usually run throughout the week, so check it out. (Thanks Brian)

New Reviews 11/19/2002 | 17:11 PST - Tech21 Game Rampage has posted an in-depth review of Hitman 2, giving it an overall score of 8/10. "All in all a terrific game, chock full of the little details that always lead to a great playing experience." The reviewer makes a notable comment on Hitman 2's gameplay as well: "Now there will be two types that play this game: those that blast everything they see and say this game is too boring and easy, and those that play it properly and say 'phew, damn that was close!'" Hitman 2 receives an overall score of 9.3/10 on GameZone, and ComputerGames.ro gives the title an 86. "...Hitman 2 is a pleasant game but its value does not exceed the one of the previous title. There are now many improvements but these do not make it better. It is good we have it now and that we can enjoy it again..."

		Thursday, November 7, 2002

Reviews, Reviews 11/7/2002 | 08:11 PST - Tech21 Hitman 2 is still riding the wave of online reviews. First, despite a good number of complaints, Gaming Nexus gives Hitman 2 an 8.6/10 overall score. "This game will test your patience at times but it’s definitely worth your while if you’ve ever wished to creep into the mind of a notorious hitman." On PC Gameworld, Hitman 2 picks up a score of 95 percent. "...The Hitman series has definitely engraved itself as its own genre. It combines parts of stealth, action, and strategy in a magnificent way, while following a solid story-line to keep the whole package deliciously entertaining." And finally, Pixelrage drops an overall score of 90. Candidly put: "It's very obvious a lot of work has been put in this game. Hardly any bugs at all, and the major drawbacks of the game mainly come from the story writer and the guy in charge of voice acting."

		Monday, November 4, 2002

New Review 11/4/2002 | 14:11 PST - Tech21 Hitman 2 is reviewed on Zengamer where it receives an overall score of 9/10 and Zengamer's "Must-buy" award. "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin is a success on every level. Rarely do PC games reach such a perfect balance."

		Saturday, November 2, 2002

Patch 1.01 Released 11/2/2002 | 14:11 PST - Tech21 Patches for both the English and German versions of Hitman 2 are now available. The patch updates the game to version 1.01, and according to Eidos, re-enables in the console, improves compatibility with some CD-ROM drives and improves some of the graphics effects used in the game. Downloads are available at Eidos' website (English) or on the Hitman 2 files page.

		Wednesday, October 30, 2002

Hitman 2 Reviews 10/30/2002 | 10:10 PST - Tech21 The Xbox version of Hitman 2 receives a overall score of 84 percent on Ferrago.co.uk. "Hitman 2 is, overall, a pretty damn fine game. The game's flaws are aesthetic in nature and do not overly threaten its quality." ELiTeD.net also has a Hitman 2 PC and console review.

		Monday, October 21, 2002

New Reviews 10/21/2002 | 21:10 PST - Tech21 Hitman 2 receives a score of 95 percent from Australian gaming site GameFeeder.net. Meanwhile, Gaming Horizon gives the title an overall score of 8.4/10: "A unique and welcome addition to the gaming library, Hitman 2 does have some outstanding qualities, but is dragged down by it’s complication and length."

Hitman 2 Soundtrack Available 10/21/2002 | 20:10 PST - Tech21 The full official Hitman 2 soundtrack is now available through LynneMusic.com. The disc has 22 tracks (65 minutes), including every tune from Hitman 2, the main theme and Hong Kong tracks from Hitman: Codename 47, and a previously unreleased song from Hitman composer Jesper Kyd. The soundtrack can be ordered directly from the website for $14.99 and the first 100 copies are signed by Jesper Kyd.

Hitman 2 Under Fire 10/21/2002 | 20:10 PST - Tech21 "Hitman 2 incites racism and hatred against Sikhs and Dalits by linking them to terrorism," says SikhNet, originators of a petition demanding a full recall of Hitman 2. SikhNet, with backing from 35 additional Sikh organizations, contests that depictions in the India missions of Hitman 2 portray Sikhs committing acts of violence in the Gurdwara, which they say clearly refers to the Golden Temple, a real Sikh worship site. "At a time when the world is grappling with issues of international violence, extremism and racism, the Dalits and the Sikhs are deeply concerned about media stereotypes in the video game world that depict violence as a form of victory over people of a particular faith, ethnicity or origin," the petition reads. In addition to the full recall, demands of the petition to Eidos Interactive include an offical apology to Sikhs and Dalits worldwide, and a removal of all references to Sikhs, Gurdwaras, as well as references to Dalits following an evil cult leader. The Hitman 2 website descriptions of the India missions have since been updated to remove the above references.

		Sunday, October 20, 2002

47 Goes Unreal 10/20/2002 | 10:10 PST - Tech21 Time to show the world what a real killer looks like: Codename 47's character model has been ported to Unreal Tournament 2003. Check out Polycount for more info, screenshots and the download.

Hitman 2 Reviews 10/20/2002 | 09:10 PST - Tech21 Hitman 2: Silent Assassin is reviewed on TechTV's web-formatted Extended Play series, where it receives a score of 4/5 stars. "Clearly Hitman 2 won't appeal to everyone ... It's a worthy title and Hitman 2 places slightly above the rest of the pack." There's also a review up on German site Yiya.de (here's a English translation).

		Friday, October 18, 2002

New Reviews 10/18/2002 | 11:10 PST - Tech21 Two new Hitman 2 reviews are up today. Gameguru Mania gives the game a score of 85 percent, while PC Arena bestows 4.5/5 arcs. "Hitman 2 : Silent Assassin will give you the opportunity to experience top of the line graphics, an excellent story line and a dynamic level of gameplay that hasn’t been paralleled to date," says PC Arena. In heinously unrelated news, Hitman fan Sleepwalker has posted a great piece of Hitman 2 fan-art.

		Tuesday, October 15, 2002

Review on Gamer's Hell 10/15/2002 | 08:10 PST - Tech21 Hitman 2 gets the Gamer's Hell silver award with a score of 8.5/10. Interestingly, the reader rating is a higher 9.4/10. Graphics, sound, and rewarding gameplay are plauded. "It looks and sounds great, is played easily, and offers so much challenge and replay-value that justifying the purchase is easily do-able."

Hitman 2 Reviewed 10/15/2002 | 07:10 PST - Tech21 Hitman 2: Silent Assassin garners a score of 4.5 out of 5 bananas from gaming site MonkeyReview.com. "...In a nutshell it kicked ass. I have been playing non stop all week and can’t seem to get enough of it." The only complaints the author mentioned were the lack of multiplayer and short lifespan.

		Monday, October 14, 2002

New Review 10/14/2002 | 11:10 PST - Tech21 InGaming.com adds yet another overwhelmingly positive review to Hitman 2's growing resume. As the author states, "I honestly don't have many bad things to say about Hitman 2." He goes on to discuss cutscenes, mission briefing, multiple way to complete missions, and small touches likes flowing curtains and the sniper zoom. Overall score is 90 percent.

		Wednesday, October 9, 2002

Review Round-up 10/9/2002 | 16:10 PST - Tech21 Hitman 2: Silent Assassin reviews are beginning to amass a little over a week since the game's release. ActionTrip gives Hitman 2 its Editor's Choice award with an overall score of 89. "[Hitman 2] deserves high marks for its excellent game design, and some highly dedicated work on getting rid of all the nagging issues from the original game." IGNPC gives the game an overall score of 8.7 out of 10, but a 9 in both graphics and gameplay. "While the title has significant improvements over the earlier version, it's a phenomenal game in its own right and one that's sure to have broad appeal, particularly among those gamers who like to put a little more thought in to their carnage." Finally, Gamespot awards an 8.6 overall score, lauding the graphics and multiple play approaches. "Hitman 2 is exceptionally well done in most every way and represents a major improvement over the original."

		Tuesday, October 8, 2002

Jacob Andersen Interviewed 10/8/2002 | 10:10 PST - Tech21 InGaming.com chats today with Io-Interactive's Jacob Andersen. Topics include gameplay, the differences between platforms, the storyline, comparisons to the first game and more. Concerning the possibility for Hitman multiplayer, Andersen says, "We have discussed the multiplayer to great lengths. Hitman has some great MP potential, actually so great that if we do it it will be an entirely seperate game."

		Saturday, October 5, 2002

Hitman 2 Q&A 10/5/2002 | 12:10 PST - Tech21 Io-Interactive's Peter Fleckenstein is interviewed on Doupě.cz. The graphic designer fields questions on a wide range of topics including new game features, the Hitman character, sales figures and the future of Hitman and Io-I, among many others.

		Wednesday, October 2, 2002

Beta Review on GamesRadar 10/2/2002 | 13:10 PST - Tech21 GamesRadar has reviewed the latest build of Hitman 2 prior to its gold status (wouldn't that be a preview?) The author comes away with good things to say, notably about the AI and interface, but also has his share of gripes about everything from limited saves to sneak mode. Final score: 86 percent. "There's no doubt that computer games found something powerful and addictive when they discovered stealth, and this game offers you stealth on a state-of-the-art silver platter."

		Tuesday, October 1, 2002

Preview on Wargamer 10/1/2002 | 09:10 PST - Tech21 Cutting it close, Wargamer has posted what is sure to be one of the final previews of Hitman 2. Gameplay, sound/graphics, AI, and equipment are all covered. The graphics draw comparisons to UT 2003: "There's not much else to say about graphics and realism of the game except 'Holy…!'"

GameSpy Coverage of Hitman 2 10/1/2002 | 09:10 PST - Tech21 GameSpy.com today previews the upcoming (quickly upcoming) Hitman sequel. The usual shopping list of topics is covered including the story, AI, disguises, locations, and weaponry. Also on GameSpyDaily are 26 screenshots of weapon renders from Hitman 2.

Hitman 2 Goes Gold 10/1/2002 | 08:10 PST - Tech21 According to Gamespot, Eidos has announced the gold status Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. The PC, Xbox, and PS2 versions should be in stores by the end of this week.

Computer and Video Games Reviews Hitman 2 10/1/2002 | 08:10 PST - Tech21 Computer and Video games has posted an in-depth review of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. The reviewer praises the game for solid gameplay and technical improvements over the original, but contends the series has fallen into a clichéd rut. "Hitman 2 is almost devoid of the first game's sense of real-world assassination motifs. Instead we have the sort of levels that could appear in any game from Project IGI to Rainbow Six," he says. The game recieved a overall score of 74. On a sidenote: While visiting the Computer and Video Games site, and interactive add for Hitman 2 popped up. The goal was to shoot the three generals, a la the infamous "shock the monkey" banner add. The end of the add said, "Coming October 4th." The site is UK-based, so this date may reflect only the UK release date. However, all the online retailers are now saying October 1st as the ship date.

		Sunday, September 29, 2002

New Media at Eidos 9/29/2002 | 10:09 PST - Tech21 The downloads page at Eidos Interactive offers up a brand new Hitman 2 promo trailer as well as a Hitman 2 television commercial. According to the text blurb, "Hitman 2: Silent Assasin will be shipping to stores on October 1st for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC, and to celebrate the event we have teamed up with Island/Def Jam recording artist Andrew WK to create a awesome trailer for Hitman 2!" Eidos has yet to announce the gold status of Hitman 2, but this statement would suggest the game is already gold and will be shipping Tuesday.

Hitman 2 Preview 9/29/2002 | 10:09 PST - Tech21 HomeLAN Fed offers up a preview of the latest build of Silent Assassin. The article reveals nothing really new, but covers the story, gameplay, weapons, graphics and AI. "Based on our time with the late PC beta of Hitman 2, it’s pretty clear that Io-Interactive has tried hard to listen to the critics of the first game. As a result, Hitman 2 is likely to be regarded as better than the original when it is released."

Thor Frölich Interview 9/29/2002 | 10:09 PST - Tech21 As Hitman 2 quickly approaches gold status, German fansite Hitman2.de has rounded up a final interview with graphics designer Thor Frölich. Questions range from reasons for the delay, to hints on the ending, to Mr. Rieper's ideal woman. There's also an English version for the linguistically challenged.

		Monday, September 23, 2002

Win the Hitman 2 Soundtrack 9/23/2002 | 17:09 PST - Tech21 As part of its four-part feature on Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Gaming Horizon is giving away five copies of the Hitman 2 soundtrack, composed by Jesper Kyd with performance from the Budapest Symphony Orchestra and Choir. The feature began last week with introduction of the game's main characters and will continue to October 7 (updated each Monday), when the contest winners will be announced.

		Tuesday, September 17, 2002

Screenshots at XGR 9/17/2002 | 15:09 PST - Tech21 Four screenshots from the preview build of Hitman 2 are up at XGR. It looks like two are from the monastery, one from a cinematic, and one from the familiar Mafia estate.

		Monday, September 16, 2002

Hitman 2 Preview 9/16/2002 | 12:09 PST - Tech21 Gaming site ELiTeD has toyed around the newest build of Hitman 2 and summarized their thoughts in a brief preview this morning. The story is discussed, as well as new gameplay features, graphics and level design, tactics, weapons, and controls.

		Tuesday, September 10, 2002

German Demo Official 9/10/2002 | 08:09 PST - Tech21 Bone from Hitman2.de sends word that Eidos Germany has officially released the Hitman 2 demo. Check out Eidos' download page for details. Curiously the file size is a few more megabytes than the PCGamer English demo circulating the 'Net (maybe it's all those really long German words).

Hitman 2 Preview on IGN 9/10/2002 | 08:09 PST - Tech21 We're a little late-out-of-the-gate on this one (thanks Jcool302), but IGNPC's preview of the latest Hitman 2 build is up along with 10 gameplay movies. There's a nice description of the weapons system, as well as some insight into the St. Petersburg levels. For more info, check out the full family of IGNPC Hitman 2 coverage.

Preview on ActionTrip 9/10/2002 | 08:09 PST - Tech21 The newest Silent Assassin preview is up this morning on ActionTrip. The author praises Hitman 2 for its multiple improvements over the original, citing the enhanced controls, camera, AI, and graphics. "My overall impression is that Hitman 2 is everything that the original should've been." The story, gameplay, weapons, soundtrack, and new engine are also discussed.

		Thursday, August 29, 2002

Retail Ramblings 8/29/2002 | 08:08 PST - Tech21 The latest info from three major online game retailers suggests that Hitman 2 will ship the beggining of October. EBGames.com and GameStop.com both have the game shipping on 10/1/02, while CompUSA's GameFixx lists the date as 10/3/02. GameStop notes that there is no official ship date from Eidos and that the October date is an estimate only. Both GameStop and EBGames are offering the official Hitman 2 soundtrack free with a pre-order of Hitman 2. The price at all sites is $49.99 (USD).

		Sunday, August 25, 2002

Walkthroughs at Hitman2.de 8/25/2002 | 20:08 PST - Tech21 Bone from German Hitman 2 fansite Hitman2.de sends word that they have posted several walkthroughs for the recently released demo. The walkthroughs are in German, but try Babelfish for a translation. He also points out that the Eidos Germany is listing Silent Assassin's release date as October 11. There's no word on an exact US date.

Hitman 2 Demo Released 8/25/2002 | 17:08 PST - Tech21 It's finally here! A playable demo of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin was released on the 'Net this past Tuesday. It first appeared on the October PC Gamer cover CD and soon found its way online. The demo offers up the first mission of the game - 47 must assassinate a Sicilian Mafia don. There's reportedly been a few problems with 3DFX cards and EAX, but the game is recieving a good deal of positive feedback across messageboards. The file weighs in at a modest 48MB, and download mirrors are available at: 3D Gamers, Gamer's Hell, and Games Domain. Thanks to everyone who e-mailed about this (expect more coverage later this week).

		Sunday, July 14, 2002

Preview on IGN.com 7/14/2002 | 11:07 PST - Tech21 There's a hands-on preview (no subscription required) of the latest press build of Hitman 2 on IGN.com. The article gives a nice run-down of two of the game's missions, and goes on to discuss enemy AI, graphics, and play tips. "In fact, its best for you to stay as far away from the guards as possible even when you've adopted their garb. You'll see them scratch their chins while they watch you pass by. If you linger too long, they'll have ample time to figure out that you may not be one of them." There is also a Hitman 2 PS2 preview available with an IGNinsider subscription.

Kill on Credit 7/14/2002 | 11:07 PST - Tech21 A creative Hitman fan has spoofed the now-infamous "priceless" Mastercard ad campaign with a Codename 47 twist. The commercial is in Quicktime format and can be viewed here or downloaded via the files section.

		Thursday, July 11, 2002

Thor Frølich Interview 7/11/2002 | 20:07 PST - Tech21 IGN's Action Vault has an interview with IO-Interactive graphic designer Thor Frølich, inquiring about work on Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. Topics include the game premise, genre-bending, environments, weapon selection, characters, mission goals, scripted events, the engine, and (gulp) the return of Diana. (No subscription required)

Hitman 2 Xbox Media on IGN 7/11/2002 | 20:07 PST - Tech21 IGN.com has added four Quicktime movies of Hitman 2 Xbox gameplay, along with 18 new screenshots that were posted yesterday with a hands-on preview. The preview requires an IGNinsider subscription, but the movies and screenshots can be viewed free of charge.

		Saturday, June 1, 2002

Silent Assassin Interview 6/1/2002 | 10:06 PST - Tech21 Gamersclick has posted an interview with Clayton Palma inquiring about the upcoming Hitman sequel. Story, locations, and weapons are all discussed, as well as AI and the controls. Two interesting quotes from Palma: "We currently don't have any plans on releasing the editor tools," and "We have no plans for multiplayer."

Official Site Updates 6/1/2002 | 10:06 PST - Tech21 The official Hitman 2: Silent Assassin website was updated Thursday with a look at the Japanese Mafia Bodyguard and two new downloadable AVI movies.

E3 Coverage 6/1/2002 | 07:06 PST - Tech21 Another E3 has come and gone, with Eidos Interactive making quite a showing via heavy-hitters like Deus Ex 2 and Republic. Hitman 2: Silent Assassin dug out its own spot on the show floor as well - rounding out the coverage are impressions from GameSpot and Games Domain. Both previews take a look at all three (PS2, Xbox, and PC) versions of the game. Word from GameSpot is that the console contols may take some getting used to, especially with the infamous "run" action. But for the PC version, Games Domain finds "the PC version was much more crisply rendered than either the Xbox or PS2 versions."

		Saturday, May 18, 2002

Hitman 2 XP Theme 5/18/2002 | 09:05 PST - Tech21 ThemeXP.com has a new custom Hitman 2 Windows XP login screen available for download. (Thanks Malmhead)

		Thursday, May 16, 2002

Hitman 2 at E3 5/16/2002 | 10:05 PST - Tech21 GameSpot has compiled a list of the biggest PC games slated to appear at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, and that list includes Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. E3 is the largest gaming industry trade show in North America, and will be held May 22-24 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

		Tuesday, May 14, 2002

New Community Site Opens With Interview 5/14/2002 | 09:05 PST - Tech21 According to site director Boneshaker: "The German Community site Hitman2.de has now finaly opend its gates for all the German Hitman fans." To kick off the site launch, the guys have an exclusive interview with Peter Fleckenstein, graphic designer on Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. Topics discussed include mission goals, controls, level design, the Glacier engine, and there's more word on the release date and demo. The interview is available in both English and German.

		Sunday, May 5, 2002

New Screenshots 5/5/2002 | 08:05 PST - Tech21 In addition to full-size version of the four screenshots released in Wednesday's press release, Games Domain has four new shots of Silent Assassin in action. (thanks alfred)

		Thursday, May 2, 2002

PS2, Xbox Versions Officially Announced 5/2/2002 | 13:05 PST - Tech21 Eidos Interactive officially announced in a press release Wednesday that Hitman 2: Silent Assassin will be coming to the Playstation 2 and Xbox this Fall. "The Hitman 2 team is building on the original Hitman in order to develop a stylish game built from the ground up for the advanced video game consoles," says Janos Flosser, Managing Director of Io Interactive. "Hitman 2’s incredibly intensive gameplay and in-depth character interaction makes for an incredible third person based gaming experience." Four brand new screenshots are included in the release.

		Tuesday, April 30, 2002

Jacob Andersen Interview 4/30/2002 | 21:04 PST - Tech21 X-Treme Gaming Radio has posted an interview with IO-Interactive co-founder and designer on Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Jacob Andersen. He comments briefly on his history in the gaming industry before delving into Hitman 2's major improvements over the prequel, the plot, locations, the Glacier engine, weapons and skills, and what sets Hitman apart from the crowd of action games.

		Thursday, April 18, 2002

Hitman 2 Q&A 4/18/2002 | 11:04 PST - Tech21 Hitman 2 Project Lead Jacob Anderson is interviewed on Gamer's Hell. Topics include improvements on Hitman, design tools, the idea behind the Hitman character, and the decision to create a sequel.

Interview on Gamitopia 4/18/2002 | 11:04 PST - Tech21 Gamitopia has a new interview with IO-Interactive's designated spokeman/graphic designer Thor Frölich, drilling him on the forthcoming Hitman 2. Questions cover improvements from the original, capturing Hitman's "style," tackling mature content, and some word on a possible editor: "We'd like to see Mods created for Hitman. However, we haven't had time to properly support any efforts yet. Hopefully we'll be able to do so in the future. Personally, I'd like to see the Editor released to the public and it is something we've talked about a lot. Time will tell."

CGOnline Previews Hitman 2 4/18/2002 | 10:04 PST - Tech21 Computer Games Online has posted a hands-on preview of the upcoming Hitman sequel. The article is void of any new information, but does touch on the new level design philosophy with quotes from an Eidos employee. Other topics include graphical capabilities, weapons, and the AI.

		Friday, April 12, 2002

Censorship Factor In Delay 4/12/2002 | 15:04 PST - Tech21 According to the product profile on Italian online game retailer Gamewarp.it, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin has been "postponed to September for censorship problems." The text gives no further details on exactly what those problems are. (Thanks Specialjackal)

		Saturday, April 6, 2002

IOI Confirms Release 4/6/2002 | 08:04 PST - Tech21 IO-Interactive's company website now confirms Hitman 2 will "hit the streets" September 2002. (Thanks MHuang)

		Monday, March 25, 2002

Preview on Gamitopia 3/25/2002 | 10:03 PST - Tech21 Gamitopia.com has posted a new hands-off preview of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. The article discusses the plot, missions, weapon system and equipment, and improvements from the original game.

		Sunday, March 24, 2002

Fall Release Confirmed 3/24/2002 | 08:03 PST - Tech21 The Eidos UK website has updated its Hitman 2 profile page to show a release date of "late 2002," confirming the September date announced on Gamespot.com. The release date on Eidos US remains at "TBD," as does number of players at "1-16," while the UK site lists Hitman 2 as "one player."

		Saturday, March 23, 2002

Hitman 2 Preview 3/23/2002 | 10:03 PST - Tech21 Reprinted from the January issue of print-mag PCFormat is a Hitman 2 preview on Games Radar UK. The preview is based on a visit to IO-Interactive's Copenhagen offices and includes a good deal of quotes from the developers. Topics discussed include the control system, body physics, alleviating obscure mission objectives, and the Glacier engine.

		Thursday, March 21, 2002

Hitman 2 PS2 Preview 3/21/2002 | 13:03 PST - Tech21 Computer and Video Games has a new preview of the PlayStation 2 build of Hitman 2. There's some new info on the role of the monestary as the Hitman's base of operations. "Father Vittorio's Gontranno Sanctuary in Sicily...is essentially a training level and central hub that Agent 47 returns to in between missions to test any new weapons he acquires during the main adventure. A weapons store nicknamed the 'garden shed' by the Io team, contains all of the hitman's hardware, including a range of deadly high-tech [weapons]." Graphics and character physics are also heavily discussed, including character skeletal systems, particle effects, and lighting.

		Tuesday, March 19, 2002

Release Now Scheduled For Fall 2002 3/19/2002 | 12:03 PST - Tech21 A news post Monday on Gamespot.com reports that Hitman 2 will not ship until September. "According to sources close to the company [Eidos], the reason for the delay is simply to give the game more time in development," the post explains.

		Monday, March 18, 2002

Hitman 2 Delayed Until June 3/18/2002 | 05:03 PST - Tech21 The news we thought we'd never hear (but was still in the back of our minds) has at last come forward. According to Gonegold.com, the top source for game release dates, Eidos has confirmed Hitman 2 will not ship in March. "The first feel week of March, I gave Eidos a call and asked them if they would make a March release date for Hitman 2. At the time, they weren't sure and would get back to me by the 15th to let me know if it would make it or not. Unfortunately, it will not. Now slated for a June release, it seems it has a better shot at making it out this summer."

		Friday, March 15, 2002

Official Site Update 3/15/2002 | 22:03 PST - Tech21 An end-of-the-week update to the Hitman 2 official site reveals the fifth mission location, Nuristan, and provides six screenshots. Additionally, two concept drawings have been added to the "behind the scenes" section.

		Wednesday, March 13, 2002

Hitman 2 Screensaver 3/13/2002 | 11:03 PST - Tech21 The German version of the official Hitman 2 website has a screensaver available in the downloads section. This has not yet been added to the English version of the site. (Thanks DaMulder)

		Tuesday, March 12, 2002

Further Release Info 3/12/2002 | 12:03 PST - Tech21 Danish site PCFun.de lists release dates for both the U.S. and German versions of Hitman 2 as March 28th, while GoneGold.com, the premier source for release dates, also calls for a March 28th release. (Thanks DaMulder)

Preview and Gameplay Movie 3/12/2002 | 11:03 PST - Tech21 Belgian site De Spelletjesgarnaal has posted a hands-on preview of the latest Hitman 2 build, along with 11 new screenshots. A four minute gameplay movie from the first Sicily mission is also available (a local copy is provided here in the files section). The footage shows off the introduction sequence and mission briefing, weapon selection, sneaking, the fiber wire, body dragging, and blood effects (not to mention lovely commentary from the cinematographers).

		Monday, March 11, 2002

More On Release Dates 3/11/2002 | 11:03 PST - Tech21 Confusion over the Hitman 2 release date is beginning to surface. Online retailer Gamestop.com has updated the game's projected release from March 26th to September 17th. Other retailers continue to hold the late-March date, however. Italian distibutor LeaderSpa has posted a release date of March 15. The official Eidos site release date remains at March 2002, while front-page Flash promotions would suggest the title is indeed coming this month. Update: Italian site Game Arena lists the release date as April 2002. (Thanks Charles Opperman and Specialjackal)

		Wednesday, March 6, 2002

Release Dates 3/6/2002 | 11:03 PST - Tech21 Hitman 2: Silent Assassin pre-orders are already available at most online retailers. EBGames and Gamestop each have the release date set at March 26th, while CompUSA lists it as March 29th. Retail price is $39.99. (Thanks Lil John)

Official Site Updates 3/6/2002 | 11:03 PST - Tech21 IO-Interactive mounts its teaser campaign once again, this time updating the weapons section with the familiar fiber wire and new-to-the-mix non-lethal chloroform. Abdul's Colonol is introduced as well, in addition to some new concept images.

		Friday, March 1, 2002

New Preview 3/1/2002 | 08:03 PST - Tech21 German gaming site PCGAMESPORTAL.de has posted a new preview of Hitman 2, briefly discussing the plot, first-person view, weapons, characters, the engine, and AI, along with eight new screenshots. The preview is in German, but Babelfish has lended us an English translation.

		Thursday, February 28, 2002

Preview on Eurogamer 2/28/2002 | 10:02 PST - Tech21 Eurogamer has an updated look at Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. The brief preview leads with an interesting narrative of one portion of the St. Petersburg missions. The story is also discussed, as well as new gameplay features and the engine. The UK release date is noted as March 22.

		Wednesday, February 27, 2002

Screenshot Fever 2/27/2002 | 11:02 PST - Tech21 There are 23 new Hitman 2 screenshots posted on Italian gaming site Nipogames, showcasing new areas of the Sicily, Russia, India missions, while Multiplayer.it has 14 new images, including the start-up screen and shots from a Middle-Eastern locale.

Thor Frølich Interviewed 2/27/2002 | 11:02 PST - Tech21 ELiTeD has posted a new interview with IO-Interactive graphics designer Thor Frølich. Topics include improvements made from the original Hitman, the influence of user feedback, first-person mode, disguises, weapons, characters, graphics, word on the demo and release schedule. Apparently the demo will be released after the game hits stores.

		Tuesday, February 26, 2002

Official Site Updates 2/26/2002 | 12:02 PST - Tech21 This week's update to the Hitman 2 official website includes additions to the skill tree, introductions of two new characters - Ninja Soldier and Abdul Bismillah Malik, and four new concept images.

New Hands-on Preview 2/26/2002 | 12:02 PST - Tech21 Computer and Video Games has posted a new preview of Silent Assassin. Resident media-man Thor Frølich runs the guys through a few missions, talks about the graphical and gameplay updates, and the AI improvements.

		Monday, February 25, 2002

New Gamespot Preview 2/25/2002 | 18:02 PST - Tech21 Hitman 2: Silent Assassin is the topic of today's cover feature at GamespotPC. The two-page preview offers up tons of new information on the game, including story details, gameplay nuances, and mission goals: "During a later mission, you'll have to make your way to a gang boss's penthouse suite, though the simple act of getting through the lobby of the building will prove to be a challenge. Tripping a fire alarm and dressing up as a firefighter to enter the building is one way of getting past the security, as is dressing up as a pizza delivery boy. You can even dump your weapons down a laundry shoot and stroll in through the front door without any cover at all if you feel brave enough." Also included with the preview are 60 total screenshots and seven movies of in-game footage. A subscription is required to download the movies, but they can be viewed free via stream.

		Saturday, February 23, 2002

IGN Preview 2/23/2002 | 10:02 PST - Tech21 A huge Hitman 2: Silent Assassin preview is online at IGN.com today. There are eight new gameplay movies and new screenshots. Viewing the preview requires a paid subscription to IGN's Insider service, so no further details are available.

		Wednesday, February 20, 2002

More of Hitman 2 Revealed 2/20/2002 | 10:02 PST - Tech21 This week's update to the Hitman 2 official site wraps up the firearm gallery with an intoduction to the Colt Python revolver and Barrett M95 .50 caliber rifle. Four new minor characters are intoduced: Sidjan's Programmer, Mafia Bodyguard, Russian Officer, and Ninja Sniper. Finally, there's more screenshots from Sicily and Japan, and a fourth wallpaper has been added to the downloads page.

		Monday, February 11, 2002

Hitman 2 Theme Login Screen 2/11/2002 | 19:02 PST - Tech21 ThemeXP.com has a custom Hitman 2 WindowsXP login screen available for download. (Thanks Malmhead)

Jesper Kyd Interviewed 2/11/2002 | 17:02 PST - Tech21 GameSpyDaily has an exclusive interview with Jesper Kyd, composer of the original Hitman soundtrack and the all-new Hitman 2 score. "I have been writing symphonic music for years, but this is the first time I am releasing an orchestral score for a game," says Kyd, who recorded the Hitman 2 soundtrack with a 50-piece choir and 61-piece orchestra. The musician/composer speaks further about his work on other games, films, and his thoughts on the new Hitman game. Two exclusive MP3 tracks were provided with the interview and are available for download in the files section: the Main Title theme and The Setup theme. They are awesome!

PCGamer UK Blurb 2/11/2002 | 13:02 PST - Tech21 The latest issue of PCGamer UK features a small info-box concerning the release of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. There's speculation that the game is on track for the March release, and may even be completed ahead of schedule. Thanks to Toby for providing a scanned image.

More Official Site Updates 2/11/2002 | 11:02 PST - Tech21 The Official Hitman 2: Silent Assassin website has intoduced two new weapons: the PSM sidearm and the Walther WA2000 Custom. Three new characters are profiled: Charlie Sidjan's sys admin, the Mafia Don's son, and the Russian soldier. There's also new screenshots from St. Petersburg and Sicily, and new concept art.

Hitman 2 Q&A 2/11/2002 | 11:02 PST - Tech21 Graphics designer Thor Frølich step up to the mic once again to field questions on the upcoming Hitman sequel. This time it's for online mag Computer and Video Games. Frølich talks briefly about the story, 1st-person mode, the lack of pre-misson "shopping," disguises, the new environments, and the control scheme updates.

Interview on GBASE.ch 2/11/2002 | 10:02 PST - Tech21 The Gamer's Database has a new interview with IO-Interactive graphics designer Thor Frølich discussing the upcoming sequel. The usual topics are all covered: saves, missions, the 1st and 3rd person view, the Glacier engine, and the secret multiplayer code under construction. Thor also confirms that one other game besides Hitman 2 is currently in development at IOI.

		Tuesday, February 5, 2002

New Interview 2/5/2002 | 11:02 PST - Tech21 Electric Playground has posted an interview with Hitman 2 designer Thor Frølich, discussing such topics as the story, targets, level design, weapons, disguises, first-person view, saves, multiplayer, and multi-platforming. Ever wonder what would happen if the Hitman was scanned through at the local supermarket? Thor enlightens.

		Monday, February 4, 2002

More Official Updates 2/4/2002 | 10:02 PST - Tech21 The official website Hitman2.com has several new updates this morning, including the revealing of four new weapons, new secreenshots, and the introduction of the fourth target. Get images and info on the Ruger .22 Silenced, Uzi, M60, and Walther WA2000, and a first look at international arms dealer Masahiro Hayamoto, target of the Japan mission. Three images of the Japan levels have been added as well.

		Monday, January 28, 2002

Official Site Updates 1/28/2002 | 15:01 PST - Tech21 The official Hitman 2 website has been updated with tasty new info, including the revealing of four new weapons and three supporting characters. Also with the update are new screenshots of St. Petersburg and Malaysia, new concept art, and a third wallpaper.

		Friday, January 25, 2002

On the New Trailer... 1/25/2002 | 07:01 PST - Tech21 There's been some major confusion concerning the public release of the Hitman 2 trailer. I was notified on Tuesday night that the movie was available for download on Gamesweb.com, and I promptly snatched it up. Then, when doing the news post the following morning, I had planned to provide a link to Gamesweb, rather than upload a local copy to FilePlanet. Oddly enough, however, the download link on Gamesweb had disappeared, so I had to go ahead and upload my copy to FilePlanet's mirrors. Adding to the confusion, news posted on hitman-codename47.com the same day I downloaded the movie from Gamesweb (Tuesday) reported that the trailer was completed and would be released the following Monday (the 28th). Then, a post on Bluesnews.com Wednesday reported that Tiscali Games was serving a copy of the trailer in DivX format, at 4.3MB, as compared to the 12.8MB mpeg version being served from this site. And, browsing through the /content directory of the Hitman 2 official site, I noticed the 12.8MB mpeg movie had in fact been uploaded, but was not yet available from the downloads section. Apparently, if the true release date was in fact supposed to be this Monday, the leaking of the file has caused IO-Interactive to go ahead with the release. FilePlanet currently has a download link on its front page, and the Hitman 2 official site now has the movie available in its downloads section.

		Wednesday, January 23, 2002

Hitman 2 Trailer Released 1/23/2002 | 12:01 PST - Tech21 IO-Interactive and Eidos have released a cinematic-style trailer for Hitman 2, showing off gameplay from several different locations. Weapon selection is demonstrated, as well as the sniper view, and of course a few dirty deeds. The trailer was originally available on Gamesweb.com, but seems to have been pulled. A local copy is available here, however. It's a must-download! (Thanks Lil John) Note: Some users have reported this as a broken link. It's not. Try hitting refresh on your browser, and be patient for the page to load.

		Tuesday, January 22, 2002

Release Date Clarification 1/22/2002 | 11:01 PST - Tech21 To clarify last Friday's post concerning the June release date reported by Neoseeker.com, the release status on Eidos Interactive's website has been updated from "to be announced" to "March 2002," reflecting the date previously announced from IO-Interactive. New box art has been added to the profile as well. (Thanks Michael)

Hitman 2 Website Goes Live 1/22/2002 | 11:01 PST - Tech21 The official Hitman 2: Silent Assassin website is now up and running with a wealth of new information and images from the upcoming game. Eight of the Hitman's weapons are introduced, three of which did not appear in the original game: Dragunov SVD, AKSU, and crossbow. Three of the targets are revealed, complete with images, descriptions, and an introduction of one of each's supporting characters. Three locations are covered: St. Petersburg, Sicily, and Malaysia, with descriptions and never-before-seen screenshots of each area. Also available for download are two music tracks and two wallpapers. The site is set up with "teasers," such that additions can be made periodically to reveal to details on the game, so be sure to check back often.

		Monday, January 21, 2002

Interview on The Adrenaline Vault 1/21/2002 | 10:01 PST - Tech21 Hot off the virtual presses this Monday morning is AVault's interview with IO-Interactive's Jacob Anderson and Thor Frolich, graphic designers on Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. The guys field questions on the inventory, pre-mission shopping, camera perspective, saves, the ranking system, graphics, and AI. The first definitive word on the game's length is revealed as well: "The game is divided into eight chapters and takes place in six different locations around the world. Each chapter has from one to four missions; the game has 21 in all." (Thanks Malmhead)

		Friday, January 18, 2002

Delayed Release? 1/18/2002 | 09:01 PST - Tech21 According to the Hitman 2 profile page on Neoseeker.com, the release date for upcoming game is set at June 2002, three months later than the widely-assumed March release. The official Eidos site cites the release date as "to be announced." No further details are known on this discrepancy. (Thanks Michael Russell)

Follow-up Interview 1/18/2002 | 08:01 PST - Tech21 Gaming site Ferrago.co.uk has followed up yesterday's preview with an interview with Helle Marijnissen, project coordinator on Hitman 2. Marijnissen talks about the new missions and locations, engine updates, and gameplay. Some interesting statements include word that, "Hitman is able to climb onboard certain vehicles and use them as transport," and, on multiplayer, "We’re working on networking technology here at IO-Interactive but it will not be ready for Hitman 2. A later add-on possibly would definitely be nice, we’re swimming in cool multiplayer ideas (both in-house and fan-stuff)."

		Thursday, January 17, 2002

New Preview/Interview 1/17/2002 | 19:01 PST - Tech21 GamesDomain has a new preview of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, including a great deal of quoting from Janos Flosser, managing director at IO-Interactive. Topics cover everything from graphics to AI to camera perspective. Here's a taste of what Flosser had to say about the new game: "We're also aiming at designing the game in a way that we'll be able to create memorable moments for the player without the player realizing it was something we designed. There is no right way to reach your destination. Who are we to decide that snipers are better hitmen than those who employ poison or car bombs? We'll let the player decide whether to use stealth or not - as long as they're having fun."

Preview on Ferrago.co.uk 1/17/2002 | 18:01 PST - Tech21 Gaming site Ferrago.co.uk has a newly posted hands-off look at Hitman 2. The preview covers all the typical aspects of the sequel, including story, graphics, music, controls and saves, disguises, and weapons. "So far it all looks very promising, but so did the original at this point. Lets hope they iron out all the creases. If they do, we could have a intelligent version of Max Payne..."

		Thursday, January 10, 2002

IGNPC Preview 1/10/2002 | 16:01 PST - Tech21 The newest Hitman 2: Silent Assassin preview is online at IGNPC. Courtesy of IO Interactive designer Thor Frølich, the guys got a first-hand look at the upcoming sequel and brought home some interesting new details on the game. Some new light is shed on the plot, and there's a nice description of two of the games missions. Other topics include the tension meter, weapon management, and the Glacier engine. (Thanks Atrus and st0rmkr0w)

		Saturday, December 29, 2001

Hitman 2 on Eidos Website 12/29/2001 | 16:12 PST - Tech21 Eidos Interactive has updated its "Coming Soon" list with Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. The game has also been given a profile containing a summary of the plot, a list of the most distinguishing features, and the box art (?). Interestingly, it is listed as a PC/CD game only, which suggests the Xbox and PS2 versions could be some time off.

Three New Screens on GamePro 12/29/2001 | 16:12 PST - Tech21 GamePro.com features a brief look at the upcoming Hitman sequel and offers three new screenshots in addition two eight previously released images. Two of the screens look to be from the St. Petersburg missions, while the third is from the familiar red-walled interior level (not sure what location this is).

		Thursday, December 27, 2001

Print Preview in PC Format 12/27/2001 | 16:12 PST - Tech21 The Button Man sends along word that the current issue of the UK print magazine PC Format features a nice two page preview of Silent Assassin, "along with some comments from the developers that I certainly haven't read anywhere else, and a few comments on the complexity of the engine." One other detail: on some of the missions the goals with randomly change each time the mission is played (i.e. kill a different general). This is somewhat similar to the randomly generated "safe location" and "warehouse location" of The Lee Hong Assassination and Gunrunner's Paradise, respectively, of the original game.

New Review (Sort Of...) 12/27/2001 | 16:12 PST - Tech21 Late to the presses is Gracelessland.com with its review of Hitman: Codename 47. With over a year of playing time, the reviewer has had more than ample chance to form his opinions on the game, and the review reflects that. It's not necessarily favorable to Hitman, but well written and thought-out to say the least. Here is a sniblet concerning the lack of saves: There’s no save game feature here. So I must start over again. From scratch. Well, I ain’t doing it. I’m not going through that whole damn map again. Sorry. A shame, really, because if it had a save feature I would be saying this is the best 3D action game, the best computer game, and maybe just the best game of any kind, ever. But it isn’t. It’s one of the worst. All because of the lack of a save button.

		Monday, December 24, 2001

Interview On 3DActionPlanet 12/24/2001 | 00:12 PST - Tech21 As 3DActionPlanet's "Crime Week" kicks off with day one, the site interviews Jens Peter Kurup, lead animator at IO Interactive, about the upcoming Hitman sequel. Topics cover story design, the save system, the first-person view, the new Glacier engine, multiplatforming, and the Edit4o7 cancellation, among other things.

		Saturday, December 15, 2001

IO Interactive Official Site 12/15/2001 | 10:12 PST - Tech21 IO Interactive's official website has undergone some renovation, with a new graphic design and menu layout. The site has been updated to include information on both the orignal Hitman and Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. Visit the site at http://www.ioi.dk. Also of note is Hitman's nomination for a 2001 BAFTA Award in the category of Best PC Game.

		Friday, November 30, 2001

Thor Frølich Interviewed 11/30/2001 | 07:11 PST - Tech21 Homelan Fed has posted an interview with IO Interactive graphic designer Thor Frølich inquiring about the upcoming Hitman sequel. Topics cover everything from story, missions, characters, and weapons to the new engine, multi-platforming, and the expected demo release.

		Thursday, November 29, 2001

Hitman 2 Ear Candy 11/29/2001 | 22:11 PST - Tech21 The November 26th episode of Raketfart (Rocketspeed), which appears on the Danish television network Zulu, featured a segment highlighting Jesper Kyd and his work on the music of Hitman 2. Receivers of Zulu can check the rerun airing December 2nd, or the clip can be viewed online by following this link. The show is obviously in Danish, but even if you don't speak the language, it's a great preview of the new music (which rocks by the way). Thomas Fach-Pedersen, who sent along the information, also had this to say concerning the program's host: Before she hosted Raketfart, Vigga Svenson hosted a music program called Okay Tone shot in the same style as Raketfart, which was the show on which the Gramsespektrum sketches were shown - Gramsespektrum was where most of the easter eggs in Hitman 1 came from. Interesting to say the least...

13 New Screenshots 11/29/2001 | 21:11 PST - Tech21 Tiscali Games has posted 13 new Hitman 2 screenshots in addition to the seven previously released by IOI. The new images further showcase the St. Petersburg missions and the interior of the Malaysia levels. Three exclusive concept images are available as well.

Intelgamer Preview 11/29/2001 | 09:11 PST - Tech21 Intelgamer.com takes a look at the upcoming Hitman sequel in a brief hands-off preview. With mid-mission saving options, optional first/third-person perspectives, revised interface, enhanced Glacier engine, loads of new weapons and 20 worldwide missions spanning across six chapters of game play, Hitman 2 is shaping up to be a lot more stylish then it’s predecessor. Especially for a game that’s not even half way through its development.

		Monday, November 26, 2001

GameSpy.com Preview 11/26/2001 | 15:11 PST - Tech21 The guys at GameSpy have put together a brief preview of Hitman 2 from impressions they received on a recent visit to Eidos Interactive. Some interesting new mission details are revealed, including the premises of the St. Petersburg and Japan levels. Designer Thor Frølich talks about the new weapons and game features.

		Friday, November 23, 2001

Edit4o7 Project Cancelled 11/23/2001 | 10:11 PST - Tech21 Today is a sad day for the Hitman community. After seven months of development, the team behind Hitman's unofficial level editing suite have been forced to abandon the project. As reported several weeks ago, Edit4o7's continued development depended entirely on securing a file structure document that IO-Interactive had in fact promised to provide. After weeks of waiting and requesting, the Edit4o7 team received a statement from IOI this morning explaining that, with the development of Hitman 2 at hand, the company could no longer make time to support the editing project. There is no word if IOI will develop an official editor. I speak for the entire community by saying our sincerest thanks and best wishes go out to deejayC, Psyche, Locutus, and everyone else who contributed to Edit4o7. It's been a fun half-year planning an anxiously awaiting our own Hitman missions, and it's extemely disheartening to have to throw all that away. Your guys' work will always be appreciated. (For a statement from deejayC, head over to this messageboard post.)

		Wednesday, November 21, 2001

Preview on Armchair Empire 11/21/2001 | 15:11 PST - Tech21 Armchair Empire rehashes all the sweet details of the upcoming sequel in a hands-off preview. With all these small improvements, the lengthening of the game, and the graphical facelift, Hitman 2 should win over those who thought the first Hitman was close to being great while actually being below average. For those of us who used the piano wire to kill Lee Hong, rejoice; gaming bliss is near. The article is a nice, organized wrap-up of what is known so far, so don't shy away from reading the same information once again.

Preview, New Screens and Movies 11/21/2001 | 15:11 PST - Tech21 The German gaming site GIGA.DE has posted a hands-on preview of Hitman 2. Topics cover everything from mission locations to the glacier engine to the new weapons. Not a great deal of new information is revealed, but the article is defintely worth the read. German readers can head directly to the site, or here is the Babelfish translation for us English-language bound. Along with the preview are six ShakyCam movies of in-game footage and a huge gallery of FuzzyCam screenshots. Unfortunately, the media is of relatively poor quality, but that can be forgiven.

		Tuesday, November 20, 2001

Back Online! 11/20/2001 | 12:11 PST - Tech21 The new site design has finally been uploaded. I realize the placeholder page estimated a few hours for the conversion, but with connection problems that turned into more like fourteen. (Sorry.) I must say I am very pleased with the results (send comments or complaints here). In the meantime, enjoy, and if you find any broken links or unavailable images, please send word. Thanks!

		Tuesday, November 13, 2001

New Layout Coming 11/13/2001 | 07:11 PST - Tech21 HitmanHQ is getting a facelift! I've been debating for quite some time how the site should change to accommodate the coming of Hitman 2, but procrastination has all but gotten the best of me. Finally, yesterday, what started as a simple header redesign, has turned into a full-fledged renovation. While the overall feel of the site will remain the same, there are some graphical and coding updates that will make everything more browser-friendly (for slow connections and Netscape users). The menus are all getting rearranged with separate sections for Hitman and Hitman 2, as well as some other minor enhancements. If everything goes as planned, the new HitmanHQ should go live this Monday (but no promises!).

		Sunday, November 11, 2001

Preview and Q&A on Gamespot 11/11/2001 | 11:11 PST - Tech21 If Friday's PS2 first look wasn't enough to whet your appetite, check out Gamespot's four page preview and Q&A covering the PC version of Hitman 2. Lead designer, Jacob Anderson fields questions about the new features, missions, weaponry, and graphical updates. And best of all, there are fifteen new exclusive screenshots. Go now!

		Friday, November 9, 2001

First Look on Gamespot PS2 11/9/2001 | 17:11 PST - Tech21 Gamespot.com has gotten its hands on an early build of the PS2 version of Hitman 2, and summarized first impressions in brief preview. The demo we were given focused mostly on Hitman 2's pre-mission area--an elegant, abandoned monastery where your character spends his off time. This structure was expertly modeled and was already showing signs of beautiful environmental lighting--sources would bleed into multicolored, stained-glass windows, and the effects were subtle and impressive. New details of the Indian hospital level are revealed, as well as the first mention of a new "tension meter" which alerts players when guards become suspicious of the Hitman's diguise.

		Wednesday, November 7, 2001

Three New Screenshots 11/7/2001 | 13:11 PST - Tech21 IO Interactive has released three new Hitman 2 screenshots, two of which show off previously revealed locations, St. Petersburg and the Sicilian Monestary. The third introduces Yakuza Mansion. [click here]

		Tuesday, November 6, 2001

Hitman 2 Projection 11/6/2001 | 12:11 PST - Tech21 According to the December issue of PCGamer, Hitman 2 is currently at 40% completion and has a projected release date of March 2002. These reassuring tidbits are included in a hands-off preview of the game, which also provides some interesting new information on the missions and three new screenshots. Keep in mind that press time for this issue could be as much as two months after the preview was written, so 40% may currently come as somewhat of an understatement. The Edit4o7 Project also gets a mention on the sidebar - way to go guys!

		Thursday, October 25, 2001

Messageboard Downtime 10/25/2001 | 14:10 PST - Tech21 As far as I know, the messageboard has been offline since sometime this morning. I suspect there's a problem with the GameSpy dynamic server, and tech support is no doubt trying to work out a solution. Sorry for the inconvenience. Until then, hang tight, and take it easy on those fingernails! Update: (7:19 p.m.) Problem fixed! Word comes from tech support: "GameSpy recently had some trouble with its /dynamic servers, and correcting the error required the replacement of one of its primary drives."

		Friday, October 12, 2001

Edit4o7 Progress Report 10/12/2001 | 15:10 PST - Tech21 The Edit4o7 team sends out a breath of reassurance to everyone concerned with the editor's progress. The guys have been lacking a vital piece of development information, and IOI, busy with Hitman 2, simply have not had time to assist with the project. However, Wednesday a contact from IOI agreed to produce the item the team needs (SPK File Structure Document, to be specific). With the SPK document, which should arrive very soon, Edit4o7 could see completion around Christmas.

		Thursday, October 4, 2001

Enter: Silent Assassin 10/4/2001 | 12:10 PST - Tech21 Yesterday Eidos Interactive officially announced the upcoming sequel to Hitman: Codename 47, titled Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. The game is scheduled for a Spring 2002 release, and will be available on the PC, PS2, and Xbox gaming platforms. GameSpyDaily has the full press release, which provides loads of new information on the title. Io-Interactive has also released the first four gameplay screenshots.

		Wednesday, October 3, 2001

Hitman 2 Wallpaper 10/3/2001 | 09:10 PST - Tech21 The hype has begun! Gamewallpaper.com has a nice looking desktop wallpaper in the theme of Hitman 2. The image is available in four resolutions. Go get it.

		Friday, September 21, 2001

Hitman 2 Interview on Gamespot UK 9/21/2001 | 06:09 PST - Tech21 In an interview with Gamespot UK, lead designer Jacob Andersen reveals some new details on the upcoming Hitman sequel. Get the first skinny on where the new plot picks up, new additions to the team, and the return of Jesper Kyd as Hitman's music-guru. The feature includes five new concept images as well.

		Friday, September 14, 2001

Edit4o7 Updates 9/14/2001 | 06:09 PST - Tech21 Some rearranging has been taking place over on the Edit407 website. With the addition of a new modeler, Cmrbreno13, and the hiatus of ScaryNuts, the worldpak section has been split up into three sections: one for Cmrbreno13's models, one for the late ScaryNuts' models, and one for dshill's textures. Additionally, deejayC has posted yet another fine developer diary, "Developmental Schematics." Finally, the team is still looking for another graphics artist, so if you're interested, send a an e-mail to Locutus.

		Wednesday, September 12, 2001

In Light Of Yesterday's Tragedy 9/12/2001 | 09:09 PST - Tech21 Amidst an onslaught on well-deserved media coverage, 3DActionPlanet tackles the difficult task of handling this saddening and shocking event, while keeping the professional attitude of an action gaming website. Jelan has written an excellent editorial, stressing that life isn't always about games. Here is a short excerpt: When first confronted with the extent of the damage caused by these terrorist attacks, my first reaction was "it's like something out of a game." This, however, was reality, a reality in which not everything has a happy ending. There were no heroes to kill off the terrorists in the nick of time. These events were part of no game. The editorial is a deserving read for any member of the gaming community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this horrible act.

		Thursday, September 6, 2001

Some Clarification 9/6/2001 | 11:09 PST - Tech21 Thanks to know your enemy, I now have a scanned copy of the PCGamer UK feature on Hitman 2. For clarification, the information pertaining to the editor does not say that Io-Interactive will be creating the editor. Here is exactly what the author says: IO aren't planning to put an editor on the release CD, but they do expect to be able to make one available on the Net for people to download. Hopefully we'll see some decent attempts at single player mods in the months after the game's release. Any confusion about the status of Edit4o7 as the unspoken official Hitman editor should be cleared up by this statement.

		Tuesday, September 4, 2001

Edit4o7 Team Explains All 9/4/2001 | 19:09 PST - Tech21 The Edit4o7 site was updated yesterday with some reassuring news. The project is still going strong, despite the loss of ScaryNuts and the addition of a new programmer. Unfortunately, the team has decided against releasing the Alpha version, and will wait until the program has reached Beta status before taking it public. For an in-depth explantion from Locutus, head over to the Edit4o7 site.

Files Galore 9/4/2001 | 19:09 PST - Tech21 There's been three major updates to the files section. First of all, the Edit4o7 team has made available the 3DStudioMax model of the Hitman, so potential modellers can get a sneak peak of what's to come with the full editor release (note that the model was provided courtesy of Io-I, and the Edit4o7 team is providing it "as is" with no support). Secondly, Jonas Hautle has created another fine Hitman wallpaper. And last, but certainly not least, we now have available, in WAV format, every voice file from the game. This includes all the pedestrians, guards, bosses, unique characters, Ort-Meyer, and the Hitman. Special thanks to Malmhead for hooking the site up with those files. So head on over and get to downloading!

Official Editor? 9/4/2001 | 11:09 PST - Tech21 Apparently the latest issue of PCGamer UK features a progess report on Hitman 2. Some very confusing information was released, especially for those associated with the development of Edit4o7, the community level editor project. In an e-mail I received from a fan, he says that: There is a feature in PC Gamer (UK) magazine all about Hitman 2. It has a lot of information on the new game, and some new screenshots. One piece of information that I can remember offhand, was that IO Interactive were going to be making their own level editor and putting it on their web site for download after the game comes out... I must stress that this information is unconfirmed. I have not personally seen the magazine, nor has anyone backed up the claim. If anyone else has seen this article, please let me know (a scanned copy would be nice as well).

		Thursday, August 30, 2001

Programmer Found 8/30/2001 | 11:08 PST - Tech21 After a lengthy search, Locutus brings word that the Edit4o7 team has finally recruited a new programmer, PsyVision. There are no further details on the progress of the editor at this time.

		Sunday, August 26, 2001

Cheats/Bugs/Easter Eggs Updates 8/26/2001 | 11:08 PST - Tech21 Over the past few weeks there have been several updates to the cheats/bugs section. I haven't found it necessary to post a separate news item for each one, so if you haven't looked over this section in a while, it may be worth your time.

		Tuesday, August 21, 2001

Check The Dialogue 8/21/2001 | 06:08 PST - Tech21 Geezer has discovered an interesting piece of information while browsing through the Hitman game directory. With the default installation, located in C:\Program Files\Eidos Interactive\IO Interactive\Hitman - Codename 47\Setup\ is a file called locale.zip. Open up this ZIP and inside you'll find "resources.xml". This file shows every piece of dialogue in the game. Now, everyone seems to agree that the voice acting in Hitman was fairly mediocre - we've heard worse, but don't expect any academy awards. So if you've ever wanted know what those brothel guards are really saying, check it out.

		Thursday, August 9, 2001

Employment Update 8/9/2001 | 20:08 PST - Tech21 The Edit4o7 team has revamped its job search and is now looking for a programmer with "a lot of MFC and C++ object oriented programming experience, and preferably also with some OpenGL/Direct3D experience." I have been notified that the official website is currently unavailable due to an ISP change, so mail those applications straight to Locutus.

		Wednesday, August 8, 2001

Edit4o7 Wants YOU! 8/8/2001 | 20:08 PST - Tech21 The Edit4o7 team is on the lookout for: two MFC programmers, one OpenGL programmer, and one Direct3D programmer. If you have the skills and would like to fill one of these positions, don't hesitate to contact the guys. The Edit4o7 Alpha release is still slated for sometime in late September.

		Monday, August 6, 2001

Five New Textured Models 8/6/2001 | 16:08 PST - Tech21 From the Edit4o7 team comes news that dshill has posted five new screenshots of his texture work for the Edit4o7 WorldPak. The shots show off textured airport seats, an alarm clock, and coffee mug. Head on over to the WorldPak page to have a look.

		Thursday, August 2, 2001

Wallpaper Added 8/2/2001 | 15:08 PST - Tech21 There's a new wallpaper over in the files section. Jonas Hautle has created an excellent looking rendition of the mysterious Hitman symbol to adorn your desktop. Have a look.

Windows Media Movie 8/2/2001 | 15:08 PST - Tech21 Follow the Hitman on a rampage through the Budapest hotel in cobain's latest theatrical endeavor. This time the format is Windows Media (.wmv), so the file size has decreased a little bit, while the length has actually increased (and, he was able to add in some groovy techno beats). Hop on over to the files section to download.

Edit4o7 Delayed 8/2/2001 | 14:08 PST - Tech21 The Alpha release of Edit4o7 has been pushed back to late September from the initial announcement of August 15. The team's PR rep, Locutus, explained that "some features are not implemented perfectly and we want to take our time to iron them out. This means that we have to rewrite a big part of the code." He also expressed that the team is truly sorry postponing Edit4o7 so close to the expected release date, and they appreciate all the patience and support of the fans.

		Tuesday, July 31, 2001

Hitman in SWAT 3 Screenshots 7/31/2001 | 15:07 PST - Tech21 Several months ago I posted a news item showing off Jaromir Krol's Hitman skin for SWAT 3. For those of you who don't own SWAT 3, here is a collage of shots Jaromir has sent over showing off the skin in action. As you can see, the skin does a great job of porting over the Hitman's character, considering the graphical limitations of another engine. I'm told that the guns he's holding in the screenshots include a Mossberg 500, S&W .44 Magnum, and a sniper rifle.

Hitman: Where Did They Go Wrong? 7/31/2001 | 06:07 PST - Tech21 The feature article on 3DActionPlanet today takes a look at what went wrong with Hitman, a game with all the promises of a hit title, but none of the results. Here is a small excerpt: ...The game had everything anyone could ask for, the most important of which was a great idea. The problem with great ideas, however, is that sometimes people just don't buy into them - and that's what happened to Hitman. Click on over, have a read, and sound off in the 3DAP forums.

		Friday, July 27, 2001

Exclusive Edit4o7 Screenshots! 7/27/2001 | 15:07 PST - Tech21 Locutus has passed over two spankin' new screenshots of the Edit4o7 Object Editor. As you can see, the shaded view (bottom right view) for the models is not quite complete. Right now, all you see is a "silhouette" of the object. The code for full shading should be completed sometime next week.

		Thursday, July 26, 2001

New Fansite Takes Root 7/26/2001 | 14:07 PST - Tech21 Welcome hitman.codename47.de.vu to the family of Hitman fan sites. The site features info on the story, characters, weapons, the editor, has tips/tricks, and a forum. It's also available in either English of German. Have a look!

		Wednesday, July 25, 2001

New Desktop Wallpaper 7/25/2001 | 20:07 PST - Tech21 We've added a new wallpaper to the files section. Inspired by sterotypical big-budget movie posters, The Button Man has created an excellent piece of work, depicting each of the game's main antagonists ominously towering over the stone-faced Hitman. Download it in three flavors, depending on your screen resolution.

Edit4o7 Eye-candy 7/25/2001 | 08:07 PST - Tech21 Nine new 3D models are up on the Edit4o7 website, including a lamp, retinal scanner, guitars, and even several shop interiors. In addition to ScaryNuts' models, the newest member of the team, texture artist dshill, has posted four screenshots of the fully textured minivan model. With the addition of dshill to the project, "Scary's Corner" has since been renamed to "Edit4o7 World Pak" to accomodate both artists.

		Monday, July 23, 2001

New Performance Guide! 7/23/2001 | 20:07 PST - Tech21 Stop the crashes! Stop the sluggishness! With the help of the all-new HitmanHQ Hitman Performance Guide, you'll soon be playing Hitman worry-free. Well, that could be a small exaggeration, but the guide is great read and, best of all, you guys are free to make any corrections or add anything we left out. Currently, the performance guide covers virtual memory handling, video card tweaks, the Hitman setup utility, and the in-game setup options. So, head on over and begin solving your all your performance issues.

		Saturday, July 21, 2001

Dynamic Down 7/21/2001 | 08:07 PST - Tech21 The GameSpy dynamic server is currently down, so, if you haven't already noticed, the messageboard is unaccessable. But please remain calm! GameSpy is aware of the problem and "GameSpy techs are currently working on a fix." Until then, why not surf through the articles archive, or re-read the walkthough just for fun?

		Tuesday, July 17, 2001

Edit4o7 Interview on 3DActionPlanet 7/17/2001 | 05:07 PST - Tech21 Today on 3DActionPlanet is an interview with deejayC, Psyche, and Locutus from the Edit4o7 development team. The in-depth Q&A session covers such topics as release details, Io-Interactive's support, and fan reaction, among other things. Be sure to check it out!

New Flash Movie 7/17/2001 | 05:07 PST - Tech21 A new Hitman flash movie has been submitted by Adam Skogh. Click here to view now in your browser, or head on over to the files section to download in ZIP format.

		Wednesday, July 11, 2001

Edit4o7 Update 7/11/2001 | 19:07 PST - Tech21 Word from Locutus is that the Edit4o7 team is putting the final touches on the importing of .3ds models into the editor. Meanwhile, they've added a new member to the team, Casper, who who will be working as the team's fine graphics artist. The editor release date is still scheduled for August 15.

		Thursday, July 5, 2001

Possible Hitman 2 Xbox Release Date 7/5/2001 | 05:07 PST - Tech21 While not officially confirmed, IGN Xbox has received a list of "what is apparently a copy of the Xbox release dates out of Babbage's computer system." Among 32 other titles, the list contains a date for the Xbox version of Hitman 2, which is set at 03/15/02. Whether or not the PC version will be released around this same time is still anyone's guess.

		Monday, July 2, 2001

Messageboard Downtime 7/2/2001 | 20:07 PST - Tech21 The messageboard was offline for a period of time beginning early yesterday and ending late this afternoon. The problem was with GameSpy's dynamic server: Hi there ... many hosted sites have complained about not being able to access the server dynamic.gamespy.com ... GameSpy technical staff are currently working on the problem and we expect to have it back up on its feet and ready to take nourishment shortly. Thanks... I apologize for any inconveniences (or nervous ticks) this may have caused.

		Sunday, July 1, 2001

Important Download Info 7/1/2001 | 08:07 PST - Tech21 Recently, there have been big changes going on with FilePlanet.com, the GameSpy Network's official file serve site. Implemented several weeks ago, all users downloading from FilePlanet's FTP1 must first login with a GameSpy ID. This is meant to protect against other sites linking directly to FilePlanet's files and clogging up bandwidth, while shielding users from GameSpy's vital advertisers. So what does this have to do with HitmanHQ? Well, all downloads from this site are routed through FilePlanet FTP2. Initially, FTP2 wasn't going to require a GameSpy ID login, but this has changed. Beginning today, downloading a file from HitmanHQ will first require you to have a GameSpy ID and be logged in. Now, for those of you who use the ForumPlanet boards or play online with GameSpy Arcade, you already have a GameSpy ID, so you probably won't even notice a change. But if you are new to the GameSpy Network, don't fret it - getting a GameSpy ID is quick, easy, and beneficial. Just go here to get it. If you have any further questions, check out the GameSpy ID FAQ or troubleshooting guide.

		Saturday, June 30, 2001

Rainbow Mirrors 6/30/2001 | 16:06 PST - Tech21 Here's an interesting bug/easter egg: In room 205 and 211 of the Budapest Hotel, when you shoot the mirror on the wall, the shards are rainbow colored rather than the normal clear glass effect. Thanks to Matt Swartz for discovering this.

New Hitman Fansite 6/30/2001 | 15:06 PST - Tech21 The Jackel Home Page, a site dedicated to Hitman: Codename 47 is now up. The site features news, screenshots, tips, discussion, and a walkthrough.

Edit4o7 Site Updates 6/30/2001 | 15:06 PST - Tech21 We've got a few news items from the Edit4o7 homefront: deejayC has posted a new developer diary, titled "Chunks, dialogs and authoritah!", in which he graciously accepts the fact the creating icons wasn't so bad after all. In addition, ScaryNuts, the team's modeller, now has his own section on the site called "Scary's Corner." Here you'll find a showcase of all the object models he has created thus far (there are currently twelve, including a minivan, airport desk, and mailbox, just to mention a few). Locutus has asked me to put out word that the team is looking for a graphics artist to create textures for Scary's models. And finally, Io-Interactive is still expressing its fullest cooperation in providing the Edit4o7 team with all the information and tools necessary for the completion of the editor.

		Tuesday, June 26, 2001

Edit4o7 Release Date 6/26/2001 | 15:06 PST - Tech21 Locutus has informed me that the official release date for the Edit4o7 Project has been set for August 15, 2001. Additionally, the team has recruited a fourth member, ScaryNuts, who will be creating models for the object library included with the editor.

		Saturday, June 23, 2001

Fun With Cutscenes 6/23/2001 | 07:06 PST - Tech21 Try out this nifty trick discovered by Lil John: Go into IP_Debug mode, and switch characters until you come across a character that is used in a preset animation later in the game. In Mission One you will find both of the emissaries hidden off in an inaccessible area of the level. They stand there, ridgid, until they emerge from the car in the animation sequence. Anyway, switch to them, then use Shift+F11 or Shift+F12 to kill them. Now wait until the animation plays. When the animation is finished, their bodies will be frozen in the position they were in at the end of the animation! The guards will treat it as any other dead body. What's more, if you go up to a body frozen this way and shoot it, it re-locates to the position where it was originally killed (disappearing in a cloud of blood)! Another fun use of this is in the Lee Hong assassination, by switching to and killing the guard that is walking around when Hitman and the prostitute go over the roof.

		Thursday, June 14, 2001

Easter Egg Updates 6/14/2001 | 20:06 PST - Tech21 Thanks to Locutus, we now have images of the two members of the Danish comedy group, Gramse Spectrum, which are referenced in Hitman. Check out the updates and images under easter eggs on the cheats/bugs page.

		Wednesday, June 13, 2001

Edit4o7 Dev Diary 6/13/2001 | 16:06 PST - Tech21 The Edit4o7 website has been updated with the first developer diary, "Icon Hell." deejayC speaks of his underestimation of just how difficult creating toolbars can be. It's a great read - be sure to have a look.

Hitman 2 Screenshots! 6/13/2001 | 15:06 PST - Tech21 Well, sort of. Let me explain. GameReactor.net, a Danish gaming site, has posted the first in a series of articles covering the progress of inserting the likeness of a real-life person into a character in Hitman 2. As winner of a contest sponsored by GameReactor, Danish teen Tue Elung Jensen won the right to be modeled into one of the game's main characters. The article is in Danish, but for you English speakers, Locutus has been kind enough to translate the part that gives out details on Hitman 2: We were told that Tue will be transformed into the Sicilian priest Vittorio, a figure who has a pretty important role already in the beginning of Hitman 2, and that the even same priest will show up from time to time throughout the game. As for the screenshots: In the article on Gamereactor.net, there are several photographs of Io-Interactive employees at work. Two of these photos show computer screens, and on those computer screens are the first images of Hitman 2 to ever leave the confines of Io-Interactive. One photo shows The Hitman outdoors, approaching two buildings. The second shows him inside what looks to be a church or palace.

GUI Near Completion 6/13/2001 | 08:06 PST - Tech21 The Edit4o7 team has sent over an updated screenshot of the program's graphical user interface, which the guys claim is "very near completion." In the latest build, the previously 16-color icons have been updated to 256 colors. The team has only a few minor issues to work out on the GUI before actual file manipulation begins.

		Monday, June 11, 2001

German Fan Page 6/11/2001 | 16:06 PST - Tech21 A new German Hitman fan site is up. The site features news, info, tips & tricks, files, and a forum. Be sure to have a look.

Join the Edit4o7 Team on IRC 6/11/2001 | 14:06 PST - Tech21 Locutus sends word that the official chat channel for the Edit4o7 Project is up and running on DALnet at #edit4o7. The team members will be available around the clock to answer questions, take requests, or talk about the editor. For those unsure how to access an IRC chat channel, download and install mIRC. When the program starts and connects, type /j #edit4o7 in the status window. This will join the Edit4o7 channel.

Exclusive: First Edit4o7 Screenshot 6/11/2001 | 06:06 PST - Tech21 Psyche, lead programmer on the Edit4o7 Project has sent over a screen capture of the Edit4o7 GUI in its current state of progress. This particular shot shows the scenery editor interface, which is currently at 90% completion.

		Friday, June 8, 2001

Edit4o7 Official Site 6/8/2001 | 15:06 PST - Tech21 The unofficial world editor for Hitman: Codename 47, known as the Edit4o7 Project, has hit the Web with an official info site. In development for over a month, Edit4o7 will allow for full amateur level, model, and scripting creation for Hitman. The full suite of editing programs will include an object editor, scene builder, character management, scripting engine, and texture browser. Moreover, the development team has recently received confirmation that Io-Interactive, the creators of Hitman, will fully support the project by providing necessary information and development tools. For more information, visit the official site. Expect frequent progress updates from HitmanHQ.

"Lee Hong Assassination" Less Than Perfect 6/8/2001 | 06:06 PST - Tech21 A very observant player has discovered a barely noticable, yet rather large mistake in Lee Hong's restaurant. Here is the e-mail, straight from the source: I noticed an interesting bug in the Lee Hong assasination mission in Hitman the other day. It isnt extremely noticeable, but a good number of the hanging lamps in the building arent textured! They are just white blobs. If you enter the small hallway to the brothel - the first guarded door by the restrooms - you can see both the untextured lights and what the lights should look like textured, as there are some of both. I wonder if the team just missed these, ran out of time, or fired the guy who was working on this particular part :) Like the e-mail states, the untextured lights don't stand out in any way or detract from the visuals, but once you see how the lights are supposed to look when textured, the mistake becomes very obvious. (Thanks to Lil John for the info).

New Animated GIF 6/8/2001 | 06:06 PST - Tech21 Have a look a this groovy animation created by Lil John, depicting a gruesome ending for the Blue Lotus helicopter machine gunman and a close call with The Hitman's phat (that's with a "ph") set of wheels. At 900KB, it may take a few minutes to load on slower connections, so be patient.

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