There have definitely been an influx of newer fans, YouTubers, and casuals on reddit these days making sweeping statements saying ‘no one ever played Hitman for story’. Which is historically untrue if you go back to earlier games, and also I think a lot of fans, on HMF at least, care about the story. These were the results of a poll on the subject I made on HMF earlier this year:
Personally, I don’t think anyone considers Hitman to be Shakespeare, but I enjoy the universe, 47’s character, and the whole immersion aspect of the game. Without an overarching narrative, I’m afraid the levels would feel kind of empty just like special assignments or escalations.