A new Splinter Cell game has been highly requested by fans for many years now, with the last entry being released in 2013. There’s still no confirmation of a new Splinter Cell title, although rumors appear to be heating up as of late, with some suggestions that may be concerning to Splinter Cell fans. Ubisoft has been busy announcing new titles lately, with Ghost Recon Frontline being among the most recent. But that announcement was poorly received by fans, so Splinter Cell fans may be hoping for a different outcome.
If related rumors are to be believed, though, it’s possible that the next Splinter Cell game could be set to divide the fanbase as much as Ghost Recon Frontline. For fans of the original Splinter Cell games, the rumored upcoming project may be one to steer clear of in the beginning. The next Splinter Cell may well be a live-service title, which is likely not what most fans had in mind for a modern Splinter Cell game.
What Will the Next Splinter Cell Game Be?
The last Splinter Cell game was Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist, which was fairly well received. Despite this, however, there have been no new entries into the franchise since Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist was released in 2013. This has some eager to receive a new entry in the series, but recent Splinter Cell rumours may calm this excitement. There have been some rumors floating around of a live-service entry into the Splinter Cell franchise, which hasn’t gone down well with all Splinter Cell fans. While a new Splinter Cell game is something to be celebrated, especially after a lengthy hiatus, fans were hopeful that any new game would remain faithful to the series' roots.
Rumors aside, it does seem likely that if a new Splinter Cell is to arrive, it would be a live-service title. Ubisoft has recently provided a perfect example of a classic franchises turning to modern methods with Ghost Recon Frontline. The recently revealed Ghost Recon game is deviating from its more traditional roots, becoming a free-to-play first-person shooter. Assassins Creed is also set to receive a live service entry in Assassins Creed Infinity which adds further fuel to the fire. What’s key in the case of Assassins Creed Infinity is that the project is being led by one of the original Splinter Cell creators, Clint Hocking. This overlap could ultimately prove to be significant in the case of a Splinter Cell live-service game, as it may be a sign of things to come.
Why Fans Are Concerned About Splinter Cell
Ghost Recon Frontline and Assassins Creed Infinity are already going in a direction that fans aren’t entirely enthused about, leaving many not wanting to see their favorite games brought back. The Ghost Recon franchise in particular has endured a rough few years from the standpoint of fan reception. The last two games, Ghost Recon Breakpoint and Wildlands, were each met with a mixed reception from series veterans, as they felt that the franchise was heading in the wrong direction. For those players, Ghost Recon Frontline just further established the Ghost Recon franchise’s deviation from what made the original titles classics. Splinter Cell should aim to avoid a similar fate with its rumored upcoming title.
Splinter Cell’s next game should aim to win over long-time fans by returning to what made the original titles such a big hit. After all, a live-service model may seem unfitting for a series such as Splinter Cell given its action stealth gameplay, which may not translate well to a multiplayer setting. Still, Ghost Recon has been massively reimagined to get to the point that it is now coming out with a free-to-play battle royale title. The trend of Ubisoft franchises switching to a games-as-a-service model appears unlikely to halt anytime soon, but it may present a missed opportunity for Splinter Cell to return in classic fashion.
A new Splinter Cell is rumored to be in development.