When great AAA games become scarce and infrequent, owing to a global pandemic, gamers grow desperate. Even the slightest hint of enjoyability in the game’s experience means millions of preorders. After all, what else can they do but game, stuck in quarantine? This mass frenzy explains why the highly-anticipated yet very flawed Cyberpunk 2077 did so well financially. Imagine how gamers would react to a game that’s actually playable on all hardware. And one that packs a superb story and enjoyable mechanics to conclude a beloved trilogy. We’re talking about the acclaimed Hitman 3.
That’s right, IO Interactive‘s final chapter in the Agent 47 (but not the Hitman franchise itself, we hear) is a great game. Released for the PC, Xbox Series X, and PS5, along with last-gen consoles, it impresses both critics and fans alike. And, with the ability to port over saved game information from the previous installments, long-time fans can witness the bittersweet end of an age. We bid you farewell, Agent 47. You made for an amazing protagonist.
Unfortunately, the game is far from flawless owing to its needlessly complicated save carryover design. The issue stems from the fact that the previous entries, Hitman 1 and Hitman 2, came to older hardware. That means the usual scan-storage-for-saved-games method that Mass Effect 3 used back in the day won’t work. Instead, PC players were initially forced to purchase those games twice just to unlock the bonus content. The move drew in so much controversy that Epic Games and IO Interactive had to draw it back. Sadly, this isn’t the only Hitman 3 issue related to carrying over data.
Players report facing content issues when trying to load missions exclusive to previous games
As many players have played and completed the first two installments in the trilogy, carrying over saved data is quite common. However, many who tried to load up the exclusive bonus missions after doing so claim they see an error. This Hitman 3 content error occurs when the game is unable to verify the existence of previous game files. Since the game requires this to unlock the missions, the error occurs. This kicks the affected player back onto the home screen, and the bonus saves don’t work.
Usually, players can identify the Hitman 3 error right off the bat because of the unique message accompanying it. This includes text along the lines of “Save contains content that is no longer available to you. Please ensure you have access…” This issue is also rather persistent, so retrying the save load will probably just waste your time.
That’s why we have taken the time out to give you a nifty guide on how to resolve this Hitman 3 save error. We show you only the most reliable and simple fixes, which should fix your game in no time flat. In case the issue does persist, know that IO Interactive is definitely aware of the error. You can expect a fix in the shape of a patch or update in the coming weeks. Until then, we have you covered with this guide!
1) Restart your PC or console, then run Hitman 3 again
As many tech gurus, or even geeks of all flavors, will maintain, the computer is a very complex entity. So complex that calling it a machine probably doesn’t do it justice. That is at least somewhat true. The fact is that when a computer runs, it launches many complex processes at once, all in tandem.
Often at times, a process can launch incorrectly and develop a bug, with corrupted data. If multiple processes accumulate bugs, it can lead to a system failure. This can cause unexpected glitches, and make your games run poorly. Restarting your system will kill off said bugs, and allow them to run smoothly.
A word to the console community though: make sure your console actually restarts. Too many times do gamers turn off their console, only to mistakenly put it into Standby Mode. Make sure your game and system close properly, then launch Hitman 3 again.
2) PS4/PS5 players can restore game licenses, and rebuild game database
If you own a PS5 or a PS4, you can basically make the online service recheck your game’s files. That’s right, you can essentially force PSN to use their account services to verify your installation. The purpose of restoring game licenses is to ensure you, the player, own a legal copy of the game. However, this process indirectly helps troubleshoot for errors in the game’s installation.
PS4 and PS5 players get this feature built right in. Simply open the Settings tab, and head to Account Management. Look for the Restore Licenses option. Once the game is verified, your Hitman 3 save error should not reappear.
In addition, a more technical fix for the Hitman 3 error is to rebuild your game database. Exclusive to Sony’s consoles, this feature is tucked away in Safe Mode. To access it, power off your console, then back on while holding the button. When you hear a distinct audio cue, you’re in Safe Mode. From here, rebuild the game database for Hitman 3.
This process doesn’t delete any of your saved data and works wonders to eliminate bugs. Essentially, it reorganizes your storage (the PS4 HDD or the PS5 SSD) to optimize it for gaming. This boosts performance and kills off corrupted data caches. Within moments, your Hitman 3 save file should work perfectly fine.
3) Make sure your game is properly synced with Hitman 1/Hitman 2
The main error seems to stem from a lack of communication between the game and the carried-over saved information. This implies that fixing or strengthening this communication will help load into your Hitman 3 saves in the bonus missions. To fully understand how to connect Hitman 3 to your previous saves, follow the steps here. This involves setting up an IO account online, and connecting your Hitman 3 to the servers to import data.
If you suspect your internet connection is the culprit, consider resetting your network. This can help kill off dead traffic and make the connection to IO Interactive’s servers smoother. Simply power off your router for 30 seconds, then back on. This should re-establish a stable connection when importing your previous saved game information.