IO Interactive's assassination trilogy continues to prove that it's the gift that keeps on giving. Less than a year after the third game was released last January 20, the studio behind the critically-acclaimed stealth-action Hitman games has announced a smorgasbord of hype-inducing updates to help celebrate it's anniversary.

What's next for the Hitman franchise?

The beauty of IO Interactive's latest Hitman games is that the studio isn't afraid to introduce ongoing updates for free. This is largely the reason why the series has maintained its popularity over the past decade. So, even if Hitman 3 ended on a slightly ambiguous note, fans can still hop back in to find new content even if the trilogy's story has technically ended.

For its second year, IO Interactive has revealed several updates for Hitman 3. For starters, the game is getting ray tracing support on the PC. Meanwhile, other new content includes new targets, a brand-new map, as well as a unique Freelancer mode, which is effectively a roguelike game mode. But, what is perhaps the biggest revelation is the all-new Hitman Trilogy collection will launch on January 20 on multiple platforms, including the Xbox Game Pass.

On top of the Xbox Game Pass launch, IO also confirmed that Hitman 3 will be available on Steam on January 20 with VR support for PC gamers.

The Hitman Trilogy bundle includes the entire World of Assassination trilogy alongside all their already-existing content. IO is already way beyond what was expected by giving Hitman 3 a unique UI that lets players transfer progress in between games. However, bundling together all three titles under one umbrella is noteworthy; it holds far more value than the massive Mass Effect Legendary Edition that recently made its way to the Game Pass.

It appears that bringing the Hitman Trilogy to the Game Pass is just part of IO's close working relationship with Microsoft. The studio is reportedly working on a top-secret and unannounced Xbox-exclusive for the console manufacturer. In addition, IO is also working on a 007 game, which we haven't heard from much about outside of an interesting job listing last year.

Ultimately, this move positions the Game Pass further on top of the PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now. If it's any consolation, Sony is reportedly working on a combined three-tier subscription service that's far more competitive at a possibly lower price.