Hitman Absolution: Elevator Operator Cut Content Guide

AntMag.NET

Hey there! So, you're diving into the world of Hitman, and you've stumbled upon something interesting about Hitman: Absolution. We're going to talk about a character who, well, didn't quite make the final cut, but is still a cool piece of lore: the Elevator Operator.

Overview

In an early demo of the mission "Run For Your Life," specifically during the "Shangri-La" and "Train station" segments, you would have encountered this character. After Agent 47 deals with Ernest Jacobus and his colleague, he heads for the elevator. Here's the twist: instead of a clear path, Chicago police officers come *out* of the elevator. 47, being the master of disguise he is, uses his instincts and blends in. When he gets to the elevator, the Operator asks if he's going down. After a short pause, he hits the button, and they descend together.

During the ride down to the main lobby of the apartment complex, the Operator chats with the disguised 47. He talks about how it's all about one man and how dangerous he must be, admitting he wouldn't have a clue how to handle it himself. He even expresses gratitude that they're hunting the perpetrator and wishes the disguised 47 good luck.

Fate

Now, here's where things get a bit sad for our friend the Elevator Operator. Even though he shared a character model with Daniel Andrade from the "Terminus" mission, his specific role in "Run For Your Life" led to him being cut about a year before the game's release. Evidence from 2012 trailers and playthroughs suggests he was removed in late 2011 or early 2012. In the final game, you won't find him directly, but there's a subtle nod: a missing poster in the exact spot where he used to stand. It even has a phone number: 555-576734. Why he was cut remains a bit of a mystery.

Trivia

It's interesting that the Operator was scrapped similarly to characters like Todd and Ma, but unlike them, he's never mentioned by other characters in the final game.
That missing poster? It's a bit of a plot hole because it uses an earlier pre-beta build screenshot of Daniel Andrade, which makes you wonder if they were always intended to be the same character.
In both the 2011 demo and the final game, you'll see S.W.A.T. running towards the elevator and standing guard. It's thought they were supposed to have dialogue with the Operator, but this hasn't been confirmed.
He actually has his own developer render, which was shown off during press releases.
You could even spot the Operator in the teaser trailer for the 2011 demo!

Gallery

Pre-release (demo)

Here you can see some images from the demo featuring the Elevator Operator:

47 disguised as an officer & the Elevator Operator.
47 meets the Operator.
Ditto, alternate angle.
Developer render of the Operator and Agent 47.

Retail

And here are some images showing his presence in the retail version, mostly through the missing poster:

The Missing poster of the cut Elevator Operator.
47 standing next to the missing poster of the operator.
A before and after of the Elevator Operator from the playthrough demo to final release build.
A texture of the missing poster.