IO outlines Hitman Absolution's asynchronous multiplayer

Hitman Absolution looked kind of cool, but news out of Gamescom makes it sound even moreso, with IO Interactive announcing the new Contracts mode, in which players create missions and upload them for other people to play. Basically, once you have completed a mission it becomes available for Contracts - in which you roam about the level without any specific objectives - just the ones you choose for yourself.

Picking up to three targets, you assassinate them and then escape - and that level is then uploaded to the server for others to download and play. Their goal is to assassinate the three targets you chose, then leave via the exit you specified. If you trigger an alarm along the way, they'll get a bonus to their score by avoiding triggering that alarm and conversely, if you wade through piles of bodies racking up kills on your way to the targets, they won't be penalised for causing a little collateral damage of their own.

The idea is based on a meta-game which used to be played on the Hitman forums for the first couple of games - where one member would specify a target and parameters and others would attempt it. Put simply, it sounds amazing - and I can't wait. If this was in the first game, there would be one uppity desk clerk who would think twice about calling me a macho pig. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!