If you already own Hitman: Absolution on Switch, the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade costs you nothing, as long as you grab it between October 22 and November 4. After that, Feral Interactive charges 9.99 US dollars for it.
The Switch 2 Edition launches on the eShop next Thursday, October 22, almost a year after the original Switch port. The headline improvement is frame rate, but read the fine print: Feral promises up to 60 FPS in handheld mode, not a locked 60 everywhere.
What the Switch 2 Edition changes
This is IO Interactive’s 2012 stealth game, ported by Feral, the studio behind the Switch, iOS and Android versions. Here’s what Feral lists for Switch 2:
- Higher output resolution in both handheld and docked mode (Feral gives no exact numbers)
- Frame rate improvements in handheld mode, up to a maximum of 60 FPS
- Joy-Con 2 mouse controls, which should make aiming a lot less fiddly
- Visual upgrades to level of detail, shadows and texture filtering
- Contracts mode on day one, where you build your own hits with up to three targets and share them online for leaderboards
One thing to flag: Nintendo Life reported a performance mode targeting 60 FPS in both handheld and docked play. Feral’s own announcement only mentions 60 FPS for handheld and says nothing about docked frame rate, so this article follows Feral until the game is out and tested.
Prices, and who pays what
| Who you are | October 22 to November 4 | From November 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Own it on Switch | Upgrade Pack free | Upgrade Pack 9.99 US dollars, 4.99 euros, 4.99 pounds |
| New on Switch 2 | 29.99 US dollars, 24.99 euros, 19.99 pounds (25 percent off) | 39.99 US dollars, 29.99 euros, 24.99 pounds |
Yes, the upgrade is 9.99 in the US but 4.99 in Europe and the UK. That’s Feral’s official pricing, not a typo on our end. The Switch version itself launched November 13, 2025 at 29.99 US dollars, a month after the iOS and Android release on October 16, 2025.
Watch Feral Interactive’s official Switch 2 Edition trailer below.
What players are saying
In the comments on Nintendo Life’s announcement, the mood is mostly warm. Longtime fans say they buy every Hitman, and one reader defended Absolution as better at black comedy than the Hitman movies. Others like that existing owners get a free upgrade and a launch discount at all.
The pushback is mostly about money and reputation. One commenter complained that publishers hate handing out basic Switch 2 upgrades for free, so the free window is welcome but temporary. Under Nintendo Life’s earlier Switch 1 story, readers were split on the game itself: some called it the weakest, most restrictive entry in the series, while others said it was the Hitman that finally won them over. Nintendo Life’s own mini review called the Switch 1 version a decent port of the series’ black sheep.
Our take
If you own it on Switch, this is easy: claim the upgrade before November 4 and you never pay for it. If you don’t own it, 29.99 US dollars during launch is fair for a polished port with mouse aiming. Absolution is the most linear, story driven Hitman, though, so if you want the sandbox style the series is known for today, the World of Assassination trilogy is still the one to play.
The 60 FPS talk needs a reality check. Feral says “up to” 60 in handheld, so expect dips in busy crowd scenes like the packed Chinatown level. The real answer comes once the Switch 2 Edition is in players’ hands next week.
How to get the upgrade
From October 22, existing owners can grab the Upgrade Pack from the game’s Nintendo eShop page at no cost until November 4. New players can buy the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition directly on the eShop. Full details are on Feral’s announcement. Feral hasn’t given an unlock time, so check the eShop on the morning of October 22.
Release date, platforms and price
- Release: October 22, 2026 (Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, time not announced)
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2 (Switch, iOS and Android versions already out)
- Price: 29.99 US dollars until November 4, then 39.99 US dollars; Upgrade Pack free until November 4, then 9.99 US dollars
- Stores: Nintendo eShop
Based on Feral Interactive’s official announcement, Nintendo Life and Gematsu. Images and trailer: Feral Interactive and IO Interactive.
About Hitman: Absolution
- Genre: Action-adventure
- Metacritic: 79
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