Hitman 2 release date, gameplay news: episodic levels are gone, tactical co-op mode lets players and their friends work together

Hitman 2016IO Interactive

Hitman 2 is official and the sequel to the ever popular original stealth assassination game promises bags of action when it releases on November 13. 

The sequel to the popular 2016 original was unveiled by Warner Bros. Interactive and IO Interactive on Wednesday and will roll out to PS4, Xbox One and PC this November. 

Agent 47 is back working his way through numerous locations from Miami to the jungle as he attempts to bring down the Shadow Client. 

But the developers tease that everything will change for Agent 47 when he learns "the hidden truth about his past." 

In the press release, they promised plenty of options for the players: "Featuring entirely new hyper-detailed sandboxes full of living, breathing environments to explore, HITMAN 2 offers players the freedom to plan the ultimate assassination utilizing an assortment of tools, weapons, disguises and a variety of stealth techniques to creatively trigger their own unique chain of events."

There are also a bunch of pre-order options. With the standard edition at $60, players will get access to the Sniper Assassin mode. The Silver Edition ($80) offers an Executive Pack and Expansion 1, the $100 Gold Edition gives that plus 4 days of Early Access and Expansion 2. The $150 Collector's Pack offers all of that plus the Collector's Pack, Gun Case Replica and Collectibles.

The Sniper Assassin mode mentioned above is a new cooperative sniper mode being introduced to the game. This new mode allows players to team up with their friends to work together to complete a single assassination mission that involves getting through 15 bodyguards. 

The emphasis is on working together as each player will receive a different gun that has different advantages and disadvantages that ultimately complement each other. 

We for one certainly can't wait until November to get our hands on this sequel and see how it compares to the original.  If it's as good as the original - or even better - we're in for a lot of fun.