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.