Hitman 3 Speedrunners finished the first level in 8 seconds

Hitman 3 speedrunners managed to finish the first level of the game in less than 10 seconds, and they are getting faster, with the current leader beating him in just eight. Dubai’s assassination mission ‘On Top Of The World’ can be defeated incredibly quickly due to the position of the two main targets at the beginning of the level, and Speedrun.com currently shows a number of users competing to claim the Any% world record, with 5 people currently exceeding the less than 10 second mark.

User Goron managed to finish it in eight seconds on January 25 and, as can be seen in the accompanying video, he doesn’t even have to go up the stairs to dispatch the two marks. Using the Atrium elevator entrance to the level, Goron first shoots the wall to alert the targets – preventing them from moving – before quickly catching them with a silenced pistol. Then, all they need to do is return to the elevator to complete the mission. Could this be done even faster? Only time will tell, but our money is on yes.

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But how about receiving the Silent Killer award too? Goron has to commit 47 to complete the mission (brilliantly, an 8-second finish only gives a 2-star rating for the level), but other users have found ways to complete Dubai in less than 20 seconds, remaining completely hidden. The GuLe user manages it in just 17 seconds using a muted sniper, pinging the walls to attract targets to their aim. From now on, the sky is really the limit. Never tell speedrunners the odds.

In other news from Hitman 3, check out our review of the game, which received 9 points, calling it “one of the best barbeque butcher appearances”. If you’re just starting your journey to the World of Assassination, check out our 17 Hitman 3 tips to help you become a master killer.

Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.