Ubisoft’s new Splinter Cell project transformed into a live service game

The Unfortunate Fate of the Splinter Cell Franchise

Despite the iconic Sam Fisher making cameo appearances in several Ubisoft titles over the past few years, fans have eagerly awaited a new installment in the beloved Splinter Cell franchise. The last full game, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, was released in 2013, and since then, hopes for a revival have repeatedly been dashed. A recent report sheds light on Ubisoft’s ambitious plans to resurrect the series, only for it to take an unexpected turn.

Revelations from Industry Insiders

In a conversation with Jason Schreier of Bloomberg, Nick Herman, co-founder of AdHoc Studio, detailed his experience at Ubisoft, which concluded with him founding a new studio that recently launched the acclaimed game Dispatch.

The Origins of a New Splinter Cell Game

Alongside Dennis Lenart and Pierre Shorette, Herman joined Ubisoft in 2017, bringing with them their experience from developing Tales from the Borderlands at Telltale Games. Their initial assignment at Ubisoft was to work on an undisclosed project, which has now been unveiled as a new Splinter Cell title.

“I was so excited to be a part of this and help revitalize it, because it’s been dormant for a while, ”Herman expressed.“And we thought we could tell a great story and do something the fans would love.”

Transformative Pressures from Ubisoft Executives

Unfortunately, after only a brief period of development, the team faced pressure from Ubisoft executives to pivot the project toward a ‘games as a service’ model. This shift occurred at a time when Ubisoft was eager to transform many of its titles into live service experiences.

Struggles with the Live Service Model

Despite their enthusiasm, Herman and his team struggled to align the Splinter Cell vision with the demands of a live service format.“We tried, ”Herman noted.“Let’s make a narrative GAAS game. We were trying to make that make sense, and a lot of cool prototypes were made.”

A Shift in Focus and the Emergence of xDefiant

By the time Herman and his team departed Ubisoft in 2018, the company had reportedly shifted its focus away from Splinter Cell in favor of chasing Call of Duty-inspired projects. Ultimately, the Splinter Cell concept was reimagined as xDefiant, a free-to-play class-based shooter that launched in 2024 but faced an early shutdown just six months later. The closure also led to the dismantling of Ubisoft San Francisco later that same year.

The Future of Splinter Cell

Currently, Ubisoft is working on a remake of the original Splinter Cell game. However, the release date for this highly anticipated project has not yet been announced, leaving fans to wonder about the fate of Sam Fisher and the franchise.

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