Only digital pre-orders get the Hitman beta, and it's always online

The upcoming Hitman beta will only be available to those with digital pre-orders, and you'll need to have a stable internet connection to play it.

The Hitman beta, due to start this Friday on PlayStation 4, is different from other game betas in a number of ways.

First of all, you'll only get access if you have a digital pre-order. This applies to the PlayStation Store and Steam, as well as digital copies from regular retailers. The only exception is pre-ordering the collector's edition directly from the Square Enix store.

The details come from a newly updated FAQ, which confirms the file size of 4.7 GB.

The beta also requires an internet connection to play, which won't be the case for the full game, according to the publisher.

When does the Hitman beta start?

SCEE regions (Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania)

The PS4 Beta is scheduled to start at 11:00 CET on February 12th 2016 and end on February 15th at 11:00 CET.
(It's at this time that you'll see the Beta in the PSN Store. Anyone with an active pre-order will be able to download it.)

SCEA regions (United States, Canada and Latin America.

The PS4 Beta is scheduled to start at 08.00 PST on February 12th and ends on February 15th at 08.00 PST.
(It's at this time that you'll see the Beta in the PSN Store. Anyone with an active pre-order will be able to download it.)

The PC Beta is scheduled to start at 11:00 CET on February 19th 2016 and ends on February 22nd at 11:00 CET worldwide.

The Hitman beta includes the first area of the game, the prologue, set in a training facility. It won't be available on Xbox One.