Hitman: Absolution

Hitman: Absolution is a 2012 action stealth video game developed by IO Interactive and published by Square Enix's European branch. It is the fifth installment in the Hitman series and the sequel to 2006's Hitman: Blood Money. Before release, the developers stated that Absolution would be easier to play and more accessible, while still retaining hardcore aspects of the franchise. The game was released on 20 November 2012 for Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. On 15 May 2014, Hitman: Absolution – Elite Edition was released for macOS by Feral Interactive; it contains all previously released downloadable content, including Hitman: Sniper Challenge, a "making of" documentary, and a 72-page artbook. On 11 January 2019, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment released enhanced versions of Absolution and Blood Money for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One as part of the Hitman HD Enhanced Collection.

Absolution's single-player campaign follows genetically engineered contract killer Agent 47 and his efforts to protect a similarly genetically enhanced teenage girl from various parties who wish to use her potential as an assassin for their own ends, including a private military company, several criminal syndicates, and 47's own former employers, the International Contract Agency (ICA). For the first time in the series, the game featured an online component called "Contracts", which allowed players to create their own custom objectives for any of the missions in the base game and share them with others.