Sam Fisher’s been everywhere at this point, thanks to Ubisoft’s ever-expanding universe ofTom Clancy’sgames. He’s shown up in games as large asRainbow Six SiegeorGhost Recon Wildlands, and as small as theElite Squadmobile tactics game. While it’s been over seven years since the lastSplinter Cellgame, the titular hero has managed to find himself basically any place besides a mainline sequel. Not to mentionSplinter Cell Blacklistleft the series in a very different state compared to his iconic outings from games likeChaos Theory. One of gaming’s most iconic secret agents deserves his own adventure, rather than being a footnote in someone else’s.
However, based on the pipeline of games that’s quickly become Ubisoft’s forte, it’s hard to see where a traditionalSplinter Cellgame fits in. Nearly every single game that’s been published by Ubisoft since 2013 has been an open-world game, focusing strictly on minimal linearity and emphasizing co-op play. New entries inAssassin’s CreedandFar Cry, as well as the beginning ofWatch DogsandThe Division, have all released since the last mainlineSplinter Cellgame. Clearly that has to be indicative of something, but there’s also a pretty compelling reason whySplinter Cellcould make a returnrelativelysoon, though it’s tough to say when.
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Ubisoft’s Current Portfolio is Very Different From Splinter Cell
Putting aside thesheer amount ofSplinter Cellcameos there are, Fisher’s appearance in games likeGhost ReconandRainbow Siximply something far more important. Looking back on what Ubisoft has published in the last seven years,Splinter Cellis virtually unlike most games that are out and supported by Ubisoft currently. Examples likeThe Division 2andRainbow Six Siegeare procedural multiplayer games, that continue to evolve and change over time. Examples likeAssassin’s Creed ValhallaandFar Cry 5are huge non-linear, open-world games full of branching storylines and side quests, which is a format never attempted by aSplinter Cellgame.
To be fair, it’s arguable whether or not that kind of foundation would make sense for aSplinter Cellgame. Evidence of that being early demoes ofSplinter Cell Conviction, a game which was severely altered during development so it wouldn’t be so similar toAssassin’s Creed.Even forConviction, the game that largely broke from most of the franchise’s established stealth conventions anyway, it was clearSplinter Cellwas best developed as a linear experience. Nearly every Ubisoft game sinceSplinter Cell Blacklist’s release has basically been the antithesis to linearity. However, a newSplinter Cellgame could break from Ubisoft’s pattern for one important reason.
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Splinter Cell Could Remedy a Lack of Strictly-Stealth Action Games
There’s a gigantic,Metal Gear Solid-sized hole where strictly stealth-oriented action games used to be. The originalSplinter Cellgame was largely inspired byMetal Gear Solid’s innovations,but now thatMetal GearSolidis presumably dormant,Splinter Cellcould return and fill that niche. It’s not like there aren’t anySplinter Cellfans left, as fans have been asking for a new entry ever since Sam Fisher gained his new penchant for cameos in other Ubisoft games. There’s plenty of potential in a newSplinter Cellgame, like utilizing ray-tracing tech and improved shadows to refine the franchise’s darkness stealth systems, just to name one example.
That’s probably the biggest reason why there hasn’t been any recentSplinter Cellgames, because Ubisoft knows it can take its time. With no major competitor in a very specific genre of games Ubisoft has plenty of history in,Splinter Cellhas all the time in the world to nail its grand return. In fact it needs to, according to Ubisoft, which had initially stated that2013’sSplinter Cell: Blacklisthad not met the publisher’s expectations.Splinter Cell Blacklistdoubled down on the mechanical changes made inSplinter Cell Conviction,while injecting more hardcore stealth mechanics, but the result still wasn’t quite the same traditional stealth experience from previous entries.
At this point, many would expectSplinter Cellto get a full-on reboot in its next entry, which would make sense. If a series likeHitmancan receive such a well-praised revival with modern sensibilities,Ubisoft would likely want to giveSplinter Cellthe same treatment. Though a newSplinter Cellgame has only been rumored for the past few years, perhapsSplinter Cellwill finally have the resurgence it deserves this upcoming console generation.
