Yup, it seems games are landing thick and fast as Epic Games Store exclusives these days, and the latest to join that lineup is the upcoming Hitman 3, according to developer IO Interactive. 

In a statement, IO confirmed that the game would be exclusive to Epic's storefront upon its release at some point in 2021 and that their new partnership gave the developer "the freedom to create the game exactly as we imagined" - in other words, it sounds like Epic has thrown big money at IO for the exclusive rights.

One interesting (and good) piece of news surrounding this move, however, is that the Epic Games release will still import your stats and progress over from the Steam version of Hitman 2 if you own it.

Given IO interactive is publishing the game themselves for the first time, rather than going through a third party such as Square Enix or Warner Bros. Interactive, it makes sense that the company would try and secure some kind of exclusive rights in order to aid development funding,

In other Hitman 3 related news, IO also released the above trailer showing off one of the locations within the game, Thornbridge Manor, located in the quaint English countryside village of Dartmoor. It looks stereotypically gloomy and grim, as it often does here in England, but it does look great.

Finally, Hitman 2016 will be free to keep from the Epic Games store next weekend, with the game being given away between August 27th through September 3rd.