Hitman: Absolution Switch 2 upgrade is free until November 4
Feral’s Switch 2 Edition is out now, but existing owners have only until November 4 to claim the upgrade pack without paying.
Hitman: Absolution has arrived on Nintendo Switch 2, and existing owners have a short window to upgrade for nothing. Feral Interactive says the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Upgrade Pack is free until November 4, after which it will cost $9.99, £4.99 or €4.99. 1
What the upgrade includes
The Switch 2 Edition improves Hitman: Absolution in several practical ways rather than simply adding a new badge to the box. Feral lists increased output resolution in both handheld and docked modes, along with frame-rate improvements in handheld mode reaching a maximum of 60fps. The game also supports Joy-Con 2 mouse controls, which should give players another way to line up Agent 47’s shots and interact with the world. 1
Feral also says the upgraded version improves animations and visual effects in demanding scenes. Level of detail, shadow quality and texture filtering have been raised as well, giving the stealth thriller a cleaner presentation on Nintendo’s newer hardware.
The upgrade includes the game’s cross-platform Contracts mode from day one. That mode lets players create assassination challenges and compete on leaderboards, giving the Switch 2 release something more substantial than a resolution bump.
How the free upgrade works
Players who already own Hitman: Absolution on the original Nintendo Switch can claim the Upgrade Pack from the Nintendo eShop during the limited-time offer. Nintendo lists the upgrade pack separately, while Feral’s announcement makes the deadline clear: the price changes on November 5. 1 2
That means existing owners should not need to buy the full game again. The free offer is tied to the Switch version, so anyone who owns a Switch 2 but does not already have the game can instead buy the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition directly from the eShop.
Feral lists the new edition at $29.99, £19.99 or €24.99 during the launch period. From November 5, that price rises to $39.99, £24.99 or €29.99. Regional pricing may vary, but the important distinction is consistent: the free upgrade is a timed offer, not a permanent entitlement.
Why the deadline matters
The November 4 cut-off is easy to miss because the game itself is not disappearing. After the deadline, the Switch 2 Edition will remain available and the upgrade path will still exist, but owners of the original Switch version will have to pay for it. That turns the launch window into a useful reminder for anyone who bought the game before Nintendo’s new console arrived.
Feral originally described native Switch 2 support as a free upgrade for existing Switch players. The new release delivers that promise, but the company has attached a deadline to the free part of the deal. 1
The game is therefore in a slightly unusual position: the technical upgrade is meaningful, the underlying release is already familiar, and the best price is temporary. Players who own the original version have a straightforward reason to check the eShop before November 4, while newcomers can decide whether the improved edition’s launch price is worth paying now or waiting for a sale.
Our opinion
This is the sort of upgrade window that deserves a calendar reminder rather than a dramatic sales pitch. The free offer is genuinely useful for existing owners, especially with 60fps handheld performance, improved image quality and mouse controls all aimed at making the Switch 2 version feel more considered than a basic port.
The deadline is the catch. Hitman: Absolution is not a new game, and the post-deadline upgrade price is not enormous, but there is little reason for current owners to postpone claiming something Feral is giving away today. The sensible move is to download the pack while it is free, then decide later how much use you want to make of Agent 47’s enhanced return.