Hitman: Sniper Challenge Announced

Square Enix and IO Interactive have announced Hitman: Sniper Challenge this morning, as part of the build-up to the release of Hitman: Absolution later this year.

In Sniper Challenge, players must take out a target from a distance, by way of a long rifle and lots of skill. A completely stand-alone game, Sniper Challenge will let players unlock a high-powered Kazo TRG sniper rifle and various other items for use in Absolution.

From the press release:

From a balcony overlooking a roof-top party, you are tasked with taking out Richard Strong, Jr., CEO of Stallion Armaments, along with his entire staff of bodyguards. Skilled players will capitalize on score multipliers, discover secret extras, unlock equipment upgrades, and marvel at the many creative ways one can discretely dispose of a body while they work to fulfil their contract in the most efficient way possible.

The game is being released in an interesting way; if you pre-order Hitman: Absolution, you get Hitman: Sniper Challenge for free. Not only that, but you get it "immediately", which should go some way towards bridging the gap between now and the November release of Absolution.

“Agent 47 is the best in the business so it seemed appropriate to create the best pre-order reward possible for our fans,” said Jon Brooke, Brand Director of the Hitman Franchise. “Hitman: Sniper Challenge is a way of thanking customers and giving them a taste of Agent 47’s skills from the moment they pre-order the game.”

The promotion is available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 gamers from May 16th, however PC owners will need to wait until August to play the game via Steam.

Additionally, Square Enix have advised that gamers who pre-order Absolution will also be upgraded to the "ANZ Limited Edition" version of the title at no extra charge. This first-run version of the game will include advanced access to a range of in-game weaponry, such as the Jagd P22G pistol and HX UMP SMG.