Ubisoft has reportedly greenlit development of a new, mainline Splinter Cell game. If the rumour proves true, it will be the first core entry in the Tom Clancy stealth series since 2013's Splinter Cell: Blacklist.
A report from VGC claims multiple "development sources" have revealed that a new Splinter Cell is in an early phase of production, with a small chance of the game being announced in 2022. The project has apparently been greenlit as part of an effort to appease frustrated Tom Clancy and Splinter Cell fans, who have been less than happy with Ubisoft's treatment of the brand over the last decade.
No further details were provided in the report, aside from the suggestion that the new Splinter Cell will be developed outside of Ubisoft's flagship Montreal studio. Ubisoft Montreal developed key Splinter Cell games, including the original, Chaos Theory, and Conviction. The most recent game, Blacklist, was developed at Ubisoft Toronto.
In the years since Blacklist, Splinter Cell's protagonist Sam Fisher has appeared in numerous other games, but never the star of his own show. Appearances in Ghost Recon Wildlands, Breakpoint, and Rainbow Six Siege have frustrated fans, and made it seem as if a new Splinter Cell was never going to happen. In 2020 a new Splinter Cell game was announced, but it is a VR game for Oculus VR, rather than a mainline game in the tradition of the series.
Should the rumour prove to be true, then fans will be cautiously waiting to see exactly what kind of game this new Splinter Cell is. Die-hard Tom Clancy fans have been vocal about their dislike of Ubisoft's direction for the brand, with classic team-based tactical shooters like Ghost Recon having slowly evolved into an action-focused battle royale, and Rainbow Six Siege's move towards more fantastical gadgets and tactics.
Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.