Hitman World of Assassination has featured celebrity cameos from Sean Bean, Conor McGregor, and Jean-Claude Van Damme, but IO Interactive just announced their most surreal collaboration yet. Grammy and Oscar-winning rapper Eminem joins the game both as himself and his twisted alter ego Slim Shady in a limited-time elusive target mission launching December 1, 2025. The premise couldn’t be stranger: Eminem hires Agent 47 to permanently eliminate Slim Shady after failing to kill his dark persona through his 2024 album The Death of Slim Shady. Set in a nightmarish transformation of Hokkaido’s medical facility called Popsomp Hills Asylum, the mission features abundant references from Eminem’s discography including poisoned Mom’s Spaghetti, performances of Houdini, and a broadcasting studio where Shady conducts erratic live shows. Available free throughout December 2025 with an optional five-dollar cosmetic pack, this represents one of gaming’s most creative celebrity integrations.
The Premise and Setting
According to the official description, Eminem attempted to put Slim Shady away through his latest album but now recruits legendary assassin Agent 47 to finish the job permanently. This meta-narrative mirrors Eminem’s real artistic journey where he’s repeatedly attempted to retire his controversial alter ego, only for Slim Shady to resurface in his music and public persona.
The mission takes place in Hokkaido, the medical facility location from Hitman’s Japan-set levels, but transformed into the chaotic Popsomp Hills Asylum. This surreal reimagining blends hospital corridors with neon studio lighting, cult-like behavior, and dreamlike environmental design that mirrors Slim Shady’s unhinged reality. The level was crafted through collaboration between Eminem, IO Interactive, and creative director slash producer Paul Rosenberg, ensuring authentic integration of the rapper’s artistic vision.
Slim Shady has converted his old operating room into a fully functional broadcasting studio where he conducts erratic live performances for captivated audiences of staff and inmates. Players must track him across multiple interconnected zones including the recording studio and an unusual Group Training Session where he manipulates doctors to join his sinister plan of weaponizing music. The asylum setting creates disturbing juxtaposition between medical professionalism and chaotic entertainment that captures Slim Shady’s boundary-pushing persona.
Easter Eggs and References
IO Interactive packed the mission with references spanning Eminem’s three-decade career. The most iconic appears to be poisoned Mom’s Spaghetti, referencing lyrics from his 2002 song Lose Yourself where nervous anticipation manifests as physical symptoms. In the game, this becomes a creative assassination method where Agent 47 can eliminate the target using contaminated pasta.
A performance of Houdini appears somewhere in the asylum, though specific details remain unclear from preview coverage. Houdini served as the lead single from The Death of Slim Shady album, featuring Eminem’s signature rapid-fire delivery and self-referential wordplay about his legacy and mortality. How this translates into interactive gameplay versus background atmosphere isn’t specified.
The broadcasting studio itself represents Slim Shady’s public persona as a provocateur who weaponizes controversial music against social norms. The concept of literally weaponizing music within the asylum creates thematic consistency with both Hitman’s dark humor and Eminem’s history of using shock value artistically.
Expect additional hidden references for dedicated fans who know deep cuts from albums like The Marshall Mathers LP, The Eminem Show, and Relapse. IO Interactive historically rewards thorough exploration with Easter eggs that connect to guest stars’ careers, and Eminem’s extensive catalog provides endless material for clever integrations.
How Elusive Targets Work
For those unfamiliar with Hitman’s elusive target system, these time-limited missions provide special assassination contracts available for restricted windows. Unlike standard missions allowing unlimited retries, elusive targets impose permanent consequences for failure. Die during the attempt or kill the wrong person, and the mission ends permanently with no second chances.
This high-stakes format creates genuine tension absent from normal gameplay where players can experiment freely without long-term repercussions. Completing elusive targets earns exclusive suits and items unavailable elsewhere, incentivizing participation beyond simple curiosity.
The Eminem vs Slim Shady mission runs from December 1 through December 31, 2025, giving players an entire month to attempt the assassination. This extended window represents unusual generosity compared to typical elusive targets lasting only days or weeks. The longer availability ensures maximum participation while maintaining the limited-time urgency that defines the format.
Crucially, the mission itself is completely free for all Hitman World of Assassination owners. No DLC purchase or additional fees required, making this accessible celebrity content rather than paywalled exclusivity that fragments the player base.
The Optional Cosmetic Pack
While the mission is free, IO Interactive will sell an Eminem vs Slim Shady Pack for 4.99 USD, 4.99 EUR, or 3.99 GBP on December 1 alongside the mission launch. This optional cosmetic bundle includes a new suit for Agent 47, four themed items, and home base decorations tied to the collaboration.
Specific contents weren’t detailed in announcements, though previous celebrity packs typically featured suits styled after the guest star’s aesthetic, signature weapons or tools reflecting their persona, and decorative items for Agent 47’s safehouse that commemorate the collaboration. Expect the suit to incorporate Eminem’s fashion sensibilities, possibly referencing iconic outfits from music videos or live performances.
The items might include themed assassination tools, perhaps a microphone melee weapon or recording equipment that doubles as explosive devices. Home base cosmetics could feature posters, album covers, or memorabilia celebrating Eminem’s career achievements.
This cosmetic-only monetization approach respects players who just want the free mission content while offering fans willing to pay additional value through exclusive customization options. No gameplay advantages locked behind the paywall, just aesthetic personalization.
Celebrity Elusive Targets History
Eminem joins an eclectic roster of celebrities who’ve appeared as Hitman elusive targets. Sean Bean portrayed The Undying, a former MI5 agent turned freelance assassin, in a meta-commentary about his characters’ frequent on-screen deaths. The mission challenged players to kill an actor famous for dying in everything, creating delicious irony.
Conor McGregor appeared as The Disruptor, an MMA fighter turned corporate enforcer. The mission capitalized on McGregor’s public persona as a brash competitor willing to trash-talk anyone, translating his fighting skills into a target requiring specific approach strategies to eliminate.
Jean-Claude Van Damme starred in multiple missions as various characters showcasing his martial arts expertise and action movie legacy. These collaborations allowed IO Interactive to create combat-heavy scenarios where targets could actually fight back effectively against Agent 47.
Bruce Lee appeared posthumously through digital recreation, raising ethical questions about using deceased celebrities’ likenesses. That collaboration sparked debate about consent and appropriate use of legends’ images in commercial products.
The Eminem mission represents the most conceptually ambitious celebrity integration yet, moving beyond simply inserting a famous person into standard assassination scenarios toward collaborative world-building that reflects the guest star’s artistic themes and career narrative.
The Death of Slim Shady Album Connection
This collaboration directly ties into Eminem’s 2024 concept album The Death of Slim Shady, which explores the rapper confronting and attempting to kill his alter ego. The album features cover art depicting Slim Shady in a partially-zipped body bag, visualizing the symbolic murder Eminem pursues throughout the record.
Thematically, the album grapples with legacy, mortality, artistic evolution, and whether creators can truly separate from personas that defined their careers. Eminem has periodically attempted retiring Slim Shady over two decades, recognizing the character’s controversial nature while acknowledging how intrinsic he became to his success and public identity.
The Hitman mission extends this artistic exploration into interactive media, allowing Eminem to literally hire the world’s greatest assassin to finish what his music couldn’t. It represents creative problem-solving where an artist unable to metaphorically kill his past through one medium enlists another medium’s tools to complete the job.
This meta-narrative approach elevates the collaboration beyond simple celebrity cameo into genuine artistic statement about identity, persona, and the impossibility of erasing your history no matter how hard you try.
Platform Availability
The Eminem vs Slim Shady elusive target mission will be available across all platforms supporting Hitman World of Assassination including PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. Cross-platform simultaneous release ensures nobody gets excluded based on their preferred gaming ecosystem.
The cosmetic pack will similarly release across all platforms at the same 4.99 price point with minor regional variations. No platform-exclusive content or timed exclusivity deals, maintaining IO Interactive’s commitment to treating all player communities equally.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Eminem Hitman mission available?
The Eminem vs Slim Shady elusive target mission runs from December 1 through December 31, 2025, giving players the entire month to attempt the assassination.
Is the Eminem Hitman mission free?
Yes, the mission is completely free for all Hitman World of Assassination owners. An optional cosmetic pack costs 4.99 USD but the mission itself requires no additional purchase.
What is included in the Eminem cosmetic pack?
The Eminem vs Slim Shady Pack includes a new suit for Agent 47, four themed items, and home base cosmetics for 4.99 USD, 4.99 EUR, or 3.99 GBP.
Do I need Hitman 3 to play the Eminem mission?
You need Hitman World of Assassination, which bundles Hitman 1, 2, and 3 into one package. The mission takes place in Hokkaido from Hitman 1.
Can I replay the Eminem elusive target?
Elusive targets traditionally offer one attempt with permanent failure consequences. However, IO Interactive sometimes reruns popular elusive targets, so the mission might return after December 2025.
What platforms support the Eminem mission?
The mission is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.
Did Eminem help design the mission?
Yes, the mission was crafted through collaboration between Eminem, IO Interactive, and creative director/producer Paul Rosenberg to ensure authentic integration of the rapper’s artistic vision.
Conclusion
The Eminem vs Slim Shady elusive target represents celebrity gaming collaborations at their most creative. Rather than simply slapping a famous face onto generic content, IO Interactive worked directly with Eminem to create a mission reflecting his artistic themes about identity, legacy, and the impossibility of killing your past. The surreal asylum setting, abundant career references, and meta-narrative about hiring an assassin to finish what music couldn’t accomplish elevate this beyond typical branded content into something genuinely interesting. Whether the execution matches the ambitious concept won’t be clear until December 1, but the premise alone makes this essential playing for Hitman fans and anyone curious how hip-hop’s most controversial persona translates into stealth assassination gameplay. Just remember: you only get one shot, one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment.