Hitman: Contracts Gold

[Apr 13, 2004, 1:42 pm ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

Eidos sends word that Hitman: Contracts is gold for the PC, Xbox, and PC2, and the latest installment in the series based on the exploits of hired assassin "47" is due in North America on April 21, and in Europe beginning April 30:

San Francisco, CA (April 13, 2004) – Eidos (NASDAQ: EIDSY), one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, today announced that its highly-anticipated, action-stealth game Hitman: Contracts, developed by IO Interactive, has gone gold for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft and the PC and will be available at retail beginning April 21, 2004 in North America. The release of Hitman: Contracts will be supported by a massive multi-million dollar marketing campaign – one of the largest to-date by Eidos North America.

“As the follow-up to the multi-million unit selling Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Hitman: Contracts is one of this year’s “must-have” titles for gamers. Eidos will unleash an exciting marketing campaign with tremendous reach and frequency to back the next installment,” said Paul Baldwin, Vice President of Marketing for Eidos Inc.

Hitman: Contracts will be backed by an in-depth marketing campaign encompassing television, radio, print, online, channel and public relations activities. The multi-million dollar “make the hit” television campaign features four different 15 and 30-second spots, which will run for a total of six weeks beginning two weeks prior to the game’s in-store date. The radio campaign will run nationwide for two months on the Howard Stern Show, and it will feature live reads and sponsorship in the second annual “Mrs. Butterface” contest during the week of May 10, 2004. Hitman: Contracts’ print effort includes ads slated to run in lifestyle publications such as FHM, Blender, Penthouse and Stuff magazines. Eidos will also achieve significant reach via major advertising for the game in all the gaming magazines.

Additionally, Eidos will charge a focused online campaign, part of which includes releasing the Hitman: Contracts television spot via Interscope Records and the 50 Cent and Eminem DeskSite units. DeskSite is a highly-targeted, customizable, opt-in software program that automatically delivers full-screen, broadcast-quality video entertainment directly to the consumer’s PC desktop.

On the channel front, major retail promotions will flank high-impact frontline real estate at prominent retail venues such as Best Buy, EB Games, GameStop, Toys ‘R’ Us, Blockbuster, Hollywood Video and more. Eidos will back the Hitman: Contracts launch with pre-order incentives, employee sales programs, and top-tier in-store merchandising and national ad support. In addition, the title will be promoted via mainstream consumer and gaming focused comprehensive public relations campaigns.

Hitman: Contracts is the follow-up to Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, which to-date has sold more than three million copies since its release in November 2002. The game explores the dark psychology of killing for a living as the player takes on the role of the world’s deadliest assassin, Agent 47. Hitman: Contracts promises to be the most disturbing and action-packed episode of the series. Hitman: Contracts is in development by IO Interactive, the Danish-based studio recently acquired by Eidos. Hitman: Contracts will ship throughout Europe beginning April 30.

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28.

Re: Baldy

Apr 14, 2004, 21:43

Awesome Spume

i wish there was a press statement for gamers along the lines of "hey guys, hitman3 is about to hit stores. go grab it and tell us what you think" By "grab it" do you mean buy it or "demo" it off Kazaa? Cos if you mean buy it you are suggesting that a press release should encourage gamers to spend money on a game without any indication of its worth. Oh, you actually are in marketing aren't you? The press release is done by the marketing guys - they have a definite (though loathsome) function. To spread the news, regardless of the quality of the game. There is no gray area here, they have a job to do. If you run across somebody complaining about marketing dudes, just shake them by the neck and remind them about politicians. If you think we should cut politicians some slack because they have a hard job then go jump out a window (any window jumping deaths associated with this statement are entirely justified.) Hakuna Matata. The Circle of Life.

27.

Re: Hitman 2

Apr 14, 2004, 08:49

Ray Marden

Demo, please!

In all honesty, Hitman 2 was a nice step up from Hitman, but as you noted, the game still had a bit of the same limited scope of the first game.

If ~~Hitman 3~~ Hitman: Contracts can take the gameplay another step forward, it should be a rather fun game. The few blurbs that I have read do seem to be quite positive.

Still, demo, please!

Hoping I can find Painkiller on sale this weekend,
Ray

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26.

Re: Baldy

Apr 14, 2004, 07:25

PHJF

Scottish Martial Arts: Do you want me to go hunt for subscription figures to popular magazines like Computer Gaming World and PC Gamer?

PC gamers are smarter than console gamers, we buy games based heavily on previews and reviews. Console games are sold via advertising and word of mouth.

------
“The closer you get to being a pro, the closer you can get to the client. The knife, for example, is the last thing you learn. Ok?"




Steam + PSN: PHJF

25.

Re: Baldy

Apr 14, 2004, 06:49

manic half

i wish there was a press statement for gamers along the lines of "hey guys, hitman3 is about to hit stores. go grab it and tell us what you think"

24.

Re: Baldy

Apr 14, 2004, 03:34

Awesome Spume

SMA, in the UK there are plenty of ads (on smaller satellite/cable channels albeit not so much the main channels) for PC games, mainly by Play.com (THE on-line retailer for music and DVDs etc. in the UK). But advertising brings its own problems. Console games just work. PC games sold under the radar only attract the attention of those competent enough to install, patch and maintain their games. Who here doesn't spend a good chunk of their time keeping their PC running at it's best? Play.com, being one of the few people to actively promote PC games on UK television, specifically offers no support for PC games. Which is fair enough and is probably a policy based on previous bad experiences. I'm assuming you're not from the UK despite the Goodies inspired nick and don't know what it's like where you are but here the 3 main satellite channels of interest to the PC gamers demographic (male 15-35, ..sniff..I'm not in there anymore. Er, I am still male last time I looked. Needed a mirror on a stick to be sure but thats another story.) have games shows, all of which devote a good chunk of their time to PC games. (That's Bravo, Sky One and the Sci Fi channel.) My real worry is that you can't have your cake and eat it too. It's okay to want a good game to get massive recognition but in reality all you get is bad games from big publishers getting a huge push regardless of quality. Games aren't like whiskey or toilet roll, they have a definite shelf life so a bad game only has to sell for a few months not years or decades like a major brand name item. All you're really asking for is more gratuitous fluffing from publishers to shift games that should have had the promotions budget used to improve the actual game.

23.

Hitman 2

Apr 14, 2004, 02:08

Creston

I thought the first level in Hitman 2 was one of the most awesome levels I had ever played in any game, but unfortunately it seemed things went a bit downhill from there, with regards to the amount of options you had. In that first level, there were at least six or seven (it's been awhile, can't quite remember how many) ways to get inside the mansion, after which it was just a sheer feast of options to decide how to nail your target. Later on, however, unless you just wanted to go in and kill everyone, a lot of levels just had one or two options to actually get to your target, which really limited the whole idea of being an assassin, in my opinion, and totally destroyed any replay value it might have had. I also failed to see what the final level actually had to do with being an assassin, as it felt more like Serious Sam to me... I think I'll just rent this first, see how it is. Creston

22.

Re: Hitman 3

Apr 14, 2004, 01:50

hebrew_national

Press releases are for the general public, which includes investors and potential investors in the company. Notice the Stock Ticker symbol next to the title of the company. Press releases are not always targetted and written for the core audience of the product- after all, you already know its coming if its been given a "gone gold" status, and you don't need to be told what kind of game it is, or what kind of company makes it. You should already have a general idea. A marketting campaign is a good PR tool for people who are looking at the financial viability and confidence of the given company. A company that is willing to spend millions on advertising an "Asset" such as this game can be said to be a) confident that it will be relatively successful and b) able to afford it. These are both good things coming from a general public investor perspective. On the other hand, I agree, they should talk more about the game. However, in this case, since the game is about the simulation of systematic murder for hard cash, it may not be the best political/social climate to put that kind of enthusiastic wording into a press release. Understand?

21.

Hitman 3

Apr 14, 2004, 01:30

Takashi[KiN]

This press release worries me for some reason. Things that are coming to mind: Deus Ex 2 Tomb Raider 5 every Hollywood mega-turd Very little is mentioned about what makes this game so much better than the hundreds of other games out there, although they do seem very knowlegable about their sales figures. As in, "We don't actually give a shit about if this game is any good, but us marketing guys are gonna find somebody to buy it." A little too eager to pat themselves on the backs for having a "blockbuster" advertising campaign. No mention of how proud they are of the artists behind the product. I smell suckage... Or maybe Hitman 3 turns out to be awesome like it deserves to be, and the marketing will put it in the ranks of Half-Life and Diablo. More power to 'em.

20.

Re: Baldy

Apr 14, 2004, 01:05

Scottish Martial Arts

...Homeworld 2 sold poorly because it was a poor follow up to one of the most innovative strategy games in recent years. Bullshit. The people that are hardcore enough to recognize that HW2 wasn't the greatest sequel ever are too small a part of the market to have any effect on sales. Do you think the "Average Console-Gamer Joe" would give a shit that HW2 didn't have quite the impact that HW1 did? No, he'd see a really cool TV commercial with pretty graphics, big ass explosions, and massive dogfights that makes him say "I thought computers were only good for solitaire, I better check this game out". The fact that HW2 is considered a good but not quite as good as the first game would have no bearing on his purchasing decision. What would have a bearing is convincing advertising and actual knowledge of the product. It's a catch-22, publishers don't want to spend marketing dollars on PC games because they are niche and PC games are niche because they never have any marketing behind them. The fact is people just don't know that their computer can run games that look and play better than what their Playstation runs. Were a publisher to actually take a risk and start pushing PC games as a viable alternative to the consoles you'd see a big increase in sales.

19.

Re: No subject

Apr 14, 2004, 00:06

John

Why is there no bitching about simultaneous PC and console releases yet?

Because there's nothing wrong with that.. and because it is releasing on "PC, Xbox, and PC2". It's going to be on 2 PCs and only one console, so the PCs win.




This space is available for rent

18.

Re: Baldy

Apr 13, 2004, 23:12

Da Stylin' Rastan

...Homeworld 2 sold poorly because it was a poor follow up to one of the most innovative strategy games in recent years. Wow, the rare valid point. Take a picture fellas, you may never see it on these boards again. -DSR

17.

Re: Baldy

Apr 13, 2004, 22:26

PHJF

...Homeworld 2 sold poorly because it was a poor follow up to one of the most innovative strategy games in recent years.

------
“The closer you get to being a pro, the closer you can get to the client. The knife, for example, is the last thing you learn. Ok?"




Steam + PSN: PHJF

16.

Baldy

Apr 13, 2004, 21:19

Deliverance

Now I can stop sneaking up in the dark. Reaching in my pocket. And buffing bald heads! I'm sick but at least I'm not homicidal. Baldy Forever! /me runs off

15.

Re: No subject

Apr 13, 2004, 21:18

jm0ris0n

I agree SMA

14.

Re: No subject

Apr 13, 2004, 21:18

Squirmer

Why is there no bitching about simultaneous PC and console releases yet?

13.

Re: No subject

Apr 13, 2004, 20:00

Scottish Martial Arts

Personally I like the idea of a really aggressive marketing campaign. I believe the reason why PC titles are considered so niche is because they never receive any advertising dollars. Take Homeworld 2 for example, a visually stunning game that I can see appealing to the average Joe (who didn't enjoy watching the space battles in Star Wars?). The trouble is Homeworld 2 had virtually no advertising associated with it and as a result it sold like crap, not because it didn't have mainstream appeal, not because it wasn't easy to learn, simply because the only people who knew about the game were the sort that post on Blues News, not exactly the lions share of the market.

12.

Re: No subject

Apr 13, 2004, 17:39

dizzydiz

I thought the same thing about the marketing speak, its like they handed out the wrong press release...btw Hitman 2 was kick-ass, more of the same would be fine by me, but sounds like they made it better, screens look tight, i'm excited

11.

Re: No subject

Apr 13, 2004, 17:09

TheNarcis

Uh Anyone else noticed that 5 out of 6 paragraphs of this "press release" about how the game gone gold describes their marketing campaign? You think they'd mention some highlights from the game...maybe at least one or two. Why does it matter? Why do people have to always find something negative and bash? Cant just leave well enough alone. Who cares what says what...if you like a game you like it...if you dont like it you dont.

10.

Tobias as a centerfold?

Apr 13, 2004, 17:07

Da Stylin' Rastan

lifestyle publications such as FHM, Blender, Penthouse and Stuff magazines. Seriously, I don't understand how marketers can live with themselves. At least people who work at Microsoft feel guilty about it and work as hard as they can to put out really good products. -DSR

Re: No subject

Apr 13, 2004, 16:47

PHJF

OOO, say hello to the Meat King for me! The previews are lookin pretty good so far, now all they need to do for Hitman 4 is create a breakthrough multiplayer mode (like Pandora) and have a small team of stealthy hitmen infiltrate an enemy base and assassinate an NPC target.

------
“The closer you get to being a pro, the closer you can get to the client. The knife, for example, is the last thing you learn. Ok?"




Steam + PSN: PHJF

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