Why Hitman’s 25th Anniversary Matters… and Its Stealthy Mobile Debut

October 2025—Hitman turning 25 makes me feel old in the best way. I’ve watched IO Interactive reinvent Agent 47 from rigid puzzle-box stealth to the gloriously systemic sandboxes of World of Assassination. This anniversary isn’t just cake and nostalgia; it’s loaded with player-facing updates: a physical-only PS5 Anniversary Box, a Bruce Lee Elusive Target you can actually keep, PC VR finally catching up to PS VR2, and a major push onto iPhone and iPad. There’s also a community livestream, a Comic Con panel, a BAFTA concert nod—and even a teased board game.

Key Takeaways

• PS5-only Anniversary Box: $49.99 physical release with exclusive packaging, four celebrity DLCs, and a lenticular art card.
• Bruce Lee Elusive Target runs until Nov 20; Arcade cooldowns drop to 30 minutes and a DLC pack offers permanent Arcade access and cosmetics.
• PC VR update brings feature parity with PS VR2—dual-wielding, motion controls, room-scale, ambidexterity—as a free late-October patch.
• World of Assassination launches on iPhone/iPad with full sandbox and Freelancer, plus a free slice and launch discount period.

The PS5 Anniversary Box: Collector Candy or Missed Opportunity?

IOI’s 25th Anniversary Box for HITMAN World of Assassination is a PS5-exclusive physical release priced at $49.99/€49.99/£44.99. Inside you’ll find an exclusive shadowbox, a special PS5 cover art visual, four celebrity DLCs (The Undying, The Drop, The Splitter, The Banker), and a lenticular art card. As someone who still loves a disc on the shelf, it caught my eye—but PS5 exclusivity feels odd.

If you’re on Xbox or PC, you’re out of luck, which more likely reflects modern supply-chain headaches than platform favoritism. And since Hitman’s progression lives online, a disc doesn’t guarantee preservation. For newcomers on PS5, it’s a neat package. For veterans, it’s a collectible rather than an essential upgrade.

Bruce Lee Elusive Target: Slick Crossover, Less FOMO

The Bruce Lee Elusive Target is live until November 20 and pairs you with the martial-arts icon to take down “The Dragon.” The real game-changer? Arcade cooldowns drop from a punishing 12 hours to just 30 minutes, making practice (and failure) far less punishing. If you want permanent access after Nov 20, the Bruce Lee DLC pack grants Arcade access, a new suit, three items, and four Freelancer Safehouse cosmetics.

Elusive Targets used to be one-and-done stress machines; now you can learn from mistakes. It’s a cool cross-brand moment, even if I’m secretly curious how deep the mission goes beyond pure fan service. We’ll know once IOI rolls out its late-October tweaks.

PC VR Finally Catches Up to PS VR2

Hitman’s PC VR update delivers feature parity with PS VR2: dual-wielding, motion-based disguise interactions, full ambidexterity, and proper room-scale tracking. It’s free for existing PC VR owners, with a follow-up patch due later in October for graphical fixes and performance tuning. VR on PC has always oscillated between brilliance and jank; matching PS VR2’s toolkit is the right move, but real success hinges on smooth performance and tight input. If you’re VR-sensitive, wait for that patch—then head to Sapienza and see if tossing a can of spaghetti sauce feels as satisfying as you imagine.

Hitman on iPhone and iPad, Plus Absolution on Mobile

World of Assassination has landed on iPhone and iPad with the full sandbox suite, including Freelancer. There’s a 40% launch discount from October 21–27 and a free download slice with the tutorial and the Dubai Sebastian Principle Escalation. The big question isn’t content—it’s control. IOI promises the complete Hitman experience, which is ambitious for a game built on precision and situational awareness. With a controller you’ll do fine, but touch-only fans should test that free slice first.

Meanwhile, Feral Interactive released Hitman: Absolution on iOS and Android, complete with customizable touchscreen controls, gamepad and keyboard/mouse support, and device-specific graphics presets. Absolution’s more linear, story-driven design makes it an ideal commute companion, and Feral’s ports usually nail performance and options.

Community Beats: Livestreams, Panels, Concerts, and a Board Game

IOI will host an anniversary livestream on October 21 at 3 PM CET, followed by a developer panel at Comic Con Denmark on November 16 with veteran IOI devs discussing design, narrative, and production. On January 31, 2026, BAFTA Games in Concert will spotlight Jesper Kyd’s haunting Hitman: Contracts score—deserved recognition for one of gaming’s most distinctive soundscapes. And yes, there’s a tease for HITMAN: The Board Game. Stealth in tabletop is tricky, but if IOI leans into disguises, line-of-sight puzzles, and sandbox objectives, this one could truly shine.

What Gamers Need to Know Before Spending

New to Hitman on PS5? The Anniversary Box is a tidy on-ramp with nice extras. Already own World of Assassination digitally? Deep franchise discounts and individual DLC bundles might be smarter. The Bruce Lee mission is free to play until November 20—grab the DLC only if you crave permanent Arcade access and cosmetics. PC VR players should dive in after the late-October patch. On iPhone and iPad, start with the free slice, then decide if you’ll pair a controller for marathon Freelancer sessions. And if you’ve been itching to revisit Absolution, the mobile port looks like the best way to do it today.

TL;DR

IOI’s 25th anniversary celebrations offer more than nostalgia: a PS5-only collector’s box, a revamped Elusive Target experience, PC VR parity, and a full-fat mobile launch. There’s some niche FOMO bait in the Bruce Lee DLC and the PS5-only physical, but most updates are genuinely player-friendly and worth your time.