Ubisoft is best known for developing fan-favorite games like Far Cry and Assassin's Creed. While the company has now mostly sticks to established open world design, it hasn't always been such. Long-time fans of the French giant fondly remember the publisher's titles of the early 2000s such as XIII and Splinter Cell, among many others.
While Splinter Cell wasn't a gamble game by any means, it did take huge strides in establishing a gritty and realistic representation of covert stealth operations. Most games in the series garnered great critical and commercial reception, but Ubisoft ultimately stopped making more games in the Splinter Cell franchise.
Splinter Cell's Dormancy
The release of Splinter Cell: Blacklist in 2013 puts its at exactly 2845 days without its own proper game, as of this writing, and fans are still clamoring for Sam Fisher to make a return. Ubisoft has moved on to greener pastures, carving out a reputation for itself in developing the biggest open-worlds teeming with side activities. Some of the biggest IPs under the publisher's belt in the past were linear experiences which include Prince of Persia and Splinter Cell, but these franchises have sadly remained dormant for a very long time.
That's not to say that these IPs haven't been acknowledged by the French giant. After the release of Splinter Cell: Blacklist, series protagonist Sam Fisher has starred in a DLC for Ghost Recon: Wildlands and Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, as well as a playable character in Rainbow Six Siege and the mobile-shooter Elite Squad.
Fans have been clamoring for the return of Splinter Cell for quite some time now, but it seems that the wait might just end up being disappointing. As previously mentioned, Ubisoft is recently focused on creating open-world experiences, which might not mesh well with the Splinter Cell IP. The company's higher executives have already revealed plans for focusing on free-to-play live service experiences as well, which could diminish the possibility of a Splinter Cell return any time soon.
Could Splinter Cell Be At E3 2021?
Some rumors have been making the rounds regarding a new Splinter Cell game being in development, as the Italian voice actor for Sam Fisher had stated that Ubisoft might be on to something. The voice actor, Luca Ward, believes that this might be the final conclusion for the Sam Fisher story, but internal delays due to Covid-19 have pushed the development further back. Luca had reportedly teased a Splinter Cell comeback two years prior as well, but their statements were not followed up by any announcements or leaks.
With E3 2021 right around the corner, some fans will naturally have expectations to see some of their favorite franchises coming back. Ubisoft is confirmed to be holding a conference at the digital event, and it is almost customary to hope for long-forgotten franchises such as Splinter Cell making a return. While it's great to be optimistic about things, having expectations too high will probably result in disappointment. After all, Ubi has mentioned several games that will be there, and Splinter Cell wasn't among them. However, a surprise announcement that Sam Fisher is returning for one last operation will certainly get the heart of many fans pumping.
No new Splinter Cell game is known to be in development.