Nintendo fans weren’t expecting to hear any news regarding the stealth action title Hitman 3 or the action shooter Control during Nintendo’s Mini Partner Showcase virtual event on October 28. However, in a surprising move, both titles were announced to be coming to the Nintendo Switch.
The Switch ports of both games have been termed “cloud versions,” meaning that they will require an Internet connection to play as elaborate graphics will be handled by servers rather than individual consoles.
Hitman 3 is the conclusion to the World of Assassination trilogy, a re-imagining of the Hitman franchise which began in 2016. It chronicles the adventures of Agent 47, a man designed to be the “ultimate assassin,” as he tracks down and dispatches high profile targets in various locations around the world. Hitman 3’s release for the Switch is especially surprising, as neither of the previous World of Assassination titles are available on the console, instead coming only to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Hitman 3, which will feature six new locations including Dubai and Dartmoor England, is currently planned to release on January 20, 2021.
Control, which first debuted in 2019, tells the story of Jesse, a government agent investigating various bizarre phenomena known as Altered World Events. The Switch cloud version will is confirmed to be the “Ultimate Edition,” which features two previously released expansions, including a crossover with previous Remedy Entertainment title Alan Wake. It was unexpectedly made available yesterday shortly after the Direct event. Control can also be played on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions planned in the future.
Before purchasing Control for the Nintendo Switch, players may be required to test their Internet connection speed to confirm that it can support the cloud version of the game. This can be done via a ten minute demo of the game. A similar test may be implemented for Hitman 3 when it releases.
