It’s their engine, so one suspects they had to help them.
I did say they helped them, the game director even said that, but he also said it was an XR project. They spent three years on it! That still doesn’t mean they both definitively brainstormed how to implement it together. It’s actually something I’d love to learn more about; that is the extent of communication between XR and IOI.
I can’t wait for Hitman: Colorado Edition 
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As further insult to injury with this pack, looks like zero effort has been put into the Upgrade Pack on Steam for the unfortunate people that buy into the game with this garbage. Almost like IO doesn’t care about the people that need this.
- The listing has a broken header image.
- No product description to know what the hell you’re buying.
- It only lists that the Pack gives VR Access at a cost of $60.
Who the hell is actually going to purchase this?
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What a terrible response that answers none of the issues that have been raised by the community not just for this Sapienza purchase, but for the confusing purchase structure in the many years prior. I understand @Combatglue isn’t at fault–he’s just the messenger–but whoever at IO was responsible for this is miserably out of touch.
If you go through the Hitman Forum, r/Hitman subreddit, or community discord, there are so many posts of people who are confused as to what to buy. In fact, here’s some so you don’t have to go searching for them:
We know what’s included in the Sapienza package. What we don’t know is why, despite years of complaints from members of the community and gamers who want to get into Hitman, IO insists on these bizarre purchasing choices. Why should anyone buy a single location for $6 USD when you can wait for the next sale and get the entirety of H1 for $3 USD? If the goal here is to make the other packages seem like a good deal, (“Sapienza is only 1 location and it costs $10 but the full game with 20 more locations is only $70!”) then IO is no better than a budget airline selling cheap zero-perk seats or a scummy movie theater trying to sell popcorn upsizes.
That’s what the Free Starter Pack is for. Hell, that’s what the Part One package is for. Why do you need yet another foot in the door? You might as well offer a “Paris/Sapienza/Marrakesh” package for $20. Give players 3 locations to mess around with. Maybe that’s not enough. Maybe IO needs to cater to the players who might only want Hitman 1 + Miami + Whittleton Creek. Or maybe there should be a package for the players that just want to try Dartmoor and Berlin. Oh, you could even sell Carpathian Mountains for $5. Or even better, why not sell The Truman Contravention escalation for $2, to “give brand-new players an affordable way to fully own” an escalation? If a developer has confidence in their game, they shouldn’t have to release a dozen different packages to lure players in.
Also,
Let’s say someone does, in fact, want to commit to more content. How are they going to do that? It’s nigh impossible to find the upgrade pack from Part One to the full WoA package. It’s not on the main Hitman Steam page, nor does it show up when you use the Steam search bar. I had to get the product ID from SteamDB. I can’t even find the Sapienza upgrade pack right now. None of this seems properly thought out.
It was truly exciting when after years of complaints from the community, IO finally managed to create a cohesive World of Assassination package with three simple options (Starter Pack + Regular + Deluxe).
It is truly disheartening how after creating this single cohesive package, IO has managed to completely dismantle it by selling the Freelancer cosmetic packs separately for $5, the celebrity Elusive Target packs separately for $5, the Sarajevo Six and Trinity Packs separately for $5, the entirety of Hitman 2016 for $30 (which doesn’t include VR or Freelancer), and the second level of Hitman 2016 for $10 (which doesn’t include VR, Freelancer, or Patient Zero).
When the 007 teaser trailer came out 4 years ago, I was ready to buy a dozen copies of the game. After seeing IO seemingly trying to squeeze every last drop of cash out of players with Hitman this past year, I’m no longer certain if I’m ready to buy a single copy.
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Let’s see. Part One is $30.00
Sap by itself is $10.00
If all H1 eps and extras were sold separately one would think it would be $80.00 (not real sure about this one).
So I’m wondering if someone that buys the $10.00 Sap episode, do they get a generous discount on Part One? Like to pay $20.00? Or have to pay $10.00 less on any other (pack) with much more stuff?
Seems like a weird decision… I mean, I get it that they or someone at IOI believes their most popular mission would attract new players. I think it seems well intentioned, but probably a big goof. Because I’ll have to assume we’re not seeing the bigger picture here. I mean, someone must’ve known what they were doing when they worked this out and someone else gave it a 
to go ahead. Help us out, IOI. Help us to understand.
What I wouldn’t give to have been a 
on the wall in that meeting.
Well, what would that do anyway?
Someone buys the smallest/cheapest thing available, then works their way up. Do they pay less on the next/higher/better thing?
Part One $30.00, then…
WoA $40.00
Deluxe Edition $30.00…?
But they could’ve just spent $100 one time buying the Deluxe Edition in the first place?
I want to like this twice. Please, this forum needs to make it so I can like this twice!
I have no response to the above, other than the fact that IO’s boilerplate response speaks volumes about what they think of us and what their business strategy is. We’re the sheep, they’re the farmer, and they’ll send us to slaughter when we’re least expecting it. And they’ll profit off of it too!
It’s why I made the bet with @Thrison to begin with, because I knew @Combatglue 's response would be a nothingburger.
And if IO thinks I’m gonna shut up about this and let this become yet another thing we have to accept and move on from, then you are dead wrong. I will shout this to the heavens If I have to. Speaking of which…
Video later today/ tomorrow. You have 24 hours until that happens by my estimates. Spend that time wisely because I will make a ruckus about this, and you bet your ass dear readers that if gaming news media gets wind of this and get involved, IO will suddenly have a change of heart. So instead of pretending this will all go away, have that change of heart early IO. It’ll be better for everyone. Contrary to the belief on here, I don’t like being angry.
And I was having such a nice day too.
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Well, that’s the best post on HMF in 2025 wrapped up already, and we’re midway through January. I hope IOI are listening, but I doubt it based on their direction of travel.
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Thank you 
first time posting on HMF in over a year; I gotta make it worthwhile
I feel that my perception of IO has exponentially soured over the past year. So many small frustrations keep building up to create a deep dissatisfaction with the studio.
The cosmetic packs for Freelancer were annoying and not worth IO’s $5 valuation. But fine, “if you don’t like it, don’t buy it.”
Then Sarajevo Six is released as a $5 pack. “Support IO since they spent the time, effort, and money(?) to release this pack on all platforms.” Okay, cool, I’ll buy it.
Then Undying is released as a $5 pack. “IO probably had to pay for the rights(?) to release this on H3, that’s why it’s $5.” Ugh, fine, makes sense, I guess.
Disruptor is released as a $5 pack (the Drop too). At this point, the justification for the Undying at $5 doesn’t apply, since Disruptor and Drop are only H3 targets. Oh well, that’s frustrating.
Part One goes on sale for $3 and a few people I know nearly click “Confirm Purchase” before realizing “oh, that’s just Hitman 1.” Hm. Awfully suspicious for the sale badge to appear as 90% off and the game price to appear as $3 on Steam, only for the Part One package to be the sole discounted package. The full game remains at full price. Why’s IO doing this? IO’s not that kind of studio; didn’t they learn from 7DS?
The Splitter is released as a $5 pack. At this point, there are now seven separate $5 DLC packs available for Hitman. It would’ve been eight but they (thankfully) dropped McGregor.
Omitting Sarajevo Six, it costs the same $30 to get 3 celebrity elusive targets and a few dozen cosmetic items as it does to get the entirety of Hitman 2016. The DLC bloat is undeniable.
Then IO releases a Twitch campaign where you have to pay $5 for a Twitch sub to get a purple suit. The regular drops were fine. Forcing players to pay a subscription to get a single bland suit is entirely different and immensely frustrating.
Now this Sapienza disaster. Befuddling reasoning, greedy pricing, and judging from @thrison 's post, no consideration for the players who might actually like Sapienza and want to buy the rest of the game.
I’m sad.
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Welcome to my state of mind post-2023.
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Just you wait guys. I’ve heard the next release is just the Colorado level but it comes bundled with a Codename 47 remaster. It’s gonna retail for $500.
They’re hoping @MrOchoa is gonna buy a copy or 10.
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HITMAN World of Assassination Deluxe Edition
Hitman 1, 2 and 3 bundled together
HITMAN World of Assassination Part One
Just Hitman 1
HITMAN World of Assassination Episode: Sapienza kaufen
Just Sapienza
What’s next?
Just World of Tomorrow as its own “game”?
Why not sell targets individually? 5 € for Silvio Caruso and another 5 € or Francesca de Santis?
Shame on IOI for this senseless money grab.
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Don’t forget that you have to buy 47 for 10€ or else you only get to stare at them.
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I’d say that’s a good deal, considering how much the clients must be paying for him.
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$5 for the play button.
100% agree on your grid. That’s the way it should be. Simple, clean, efficient.
I’m glad that as a longtime fan of the franchise, I was buying the full editions as they were coming out, because if I had to deal with this fustercluck of a sales strategy as a newcomer, I’d be flipping birds left and right. This thing would make the likes of Ubisoft and Paradox blush.
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Ubisoft would be impressed, not blushing.
Ubisoft are on a whole other level of corporate fuckery.
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As promised, a video on the subject, as well as IOI’s maddening behaviour.
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Haven’t watched it yet, but given the feelings of yourself, myself and everybody else already, I’d like to say a big thank you for making the video. Calling out these bad practices that unfortunately IOI has continually done at times in the last several years is the best way forward in the hopes of one day seeing some better practices.
Maybe I am being too optimistic, but it’s nice to hope for something better.
Edit: OK, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching this video and I suggest that everyone else does exactly the same. It is a well articulated presentation of the highlights of IOI’s shady practices to this point and just represents the many frustrations and thoughts that many players have. Like Dribbleondo pointed it out, it was so easy for them to make a user-friendly guide of buying this game…he did it in a few minutes on Google Sheets!
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