Stealth-action game fans have had a rough few years. It has been seven years since the last Splinter Cell game, Assassin’s Creed has taken a new turn towards RPG mechanics, Dishonored is not getting another entry any time soon, and Ghost Recon: Breakpoint was mostly considered a disappointment. However, there is at least one small glimmer of hope in the darkness due to and perhaps in spite of recent announcements from Ubisoft.
It has been a good long time since the release Splinter Cell: Blacklist in 2013, to the great dismay of series fans. However, Ubisoft recently confirmed that by March next year they will have released five new triple-A games. This, combined with a few other key morsels of information, has led to speculation about a new Splinter Cell title.
A new Splinter Cell has the very real chance of replacing Assassin’s Creed as Ubisoft’s big stealth-action series, especially now that the developer is not currently pushing any games that fit the niche. Ubisoft’s pivot towards open-world action-RPG style games has left a hole in the market. They can easily fill the gap by reviving their popular Splinter Cell franchise with a refreshed take on stealth-action.
Evidence for a New Splinter Cell
While there is no official confirmation that Splinter Cell will be among Ubisoft’s new triple-A releases next year, there is plenty enough information to get fans excited for an eventual release. There is still reason to be skeptical, but the following evidence seems to suggest a new Splinter Cell game sooner or later.
The most promising tidbit is the return of Splinter Cell’s creative director to Ubisoft after a brief stint at Epic Games. His return was part of an initiative to bring in talent that could help diversify and re-orient Ubisoft’s game design after the lackluster commercial performance of Ghost Recon Breakpoint and The Division 2. Of course, that doesn’t mean a new Splinter Cell on its own, but the re-acquisition of talent related to the franchise is a big step in the right direction.
Secondly, Ubisoft has continued to tease Splinter Cell on and off over the past few years, keeping fans hopes up despite skipping an entire console generation without any new titles. This is especially strange for Ubisoft, a company that rarely lets a popular franchise go more than a year or two without an update. It seems strange to continue promoting a popular franchise unless there is something in the works.
Not only is a new Splinter Cell long overdue, but the fact that Ubisoft continues to make use of Sam Fisher means that they recognize the appeal that the franchise has. With so many big budget games planned and a renewed focus on diverse game design, taking another crack at a long-dormant popular franchise seems like a painfully obvious choice.
The Slow Death of Stealth Games
If Ubisoft is looking to release games with more unique mechanics moving forward, a return to stealth games would be the way to go. Assassin’s Creed was one of the last bastions of solid stealth-action, but its transformation into historical open-world RPGs has almost entirely annihilated any significant resemblance to old gameplay.
Meanwhile, Dishonored was one of the few true stealth-action series’ in recent years, keeping the formula alive to the delight of many fans. However, it seems that the studio will not be releasing a followup any time soon, as the next game they have lined up is Weird West, a completely different genre.
In general, there is a lack of great stealth games in recent times, despite how popular and successful many entries to the genre have been. Ubisoft used to have a huge variety of stealth games in its lineup, but over time, the number dwindled down to practically nothing. Ghost Recon also went from a stealth-action shooter to yet another game with spongy high-level enemies and a grind-centric gameplay loop.
The Return of Classic Ubisoft Stealth-Action
After a few commercial and critical failures, it only stand to reason that Ubisoft wants to get back on track in 2020 and 2021. The best way for the company to do that would be to release a good, straightforward game in a familiar franchise that hits all the right notes. What better way to regain gamers’ attention than with a quality Splinter Cell game reminiscent of classic titles? There is certainly a wide open hole in the market, and Ubisoft would be very wise to take advantage of the gap and grab up the free real estate.
Ubisoft changed gears on Assassin’s Creed because it felt that players were tiring of the same old formula, which was largely true. Repetitive tailing missions, endless towers to scale, monotonous collectibles, and stagnant platforming and combat all made a refresh necessary. Origins and Odyssey found success by doubling down on historical roots and amazing exploration, but floaty combat and grind-heavy RPG mechanics are a far cry from the features that made Assassin’s Creed a classic franchise.
By bringing back Splinter Cell, Ubisoft has the opportunity to fill a self-created void in the market. Casing out an area, sneaking through a darkened building, and swiftly dispatching hapless enemies on the way to a high-stakes goal are game features that will never get old. It was not the stealth gameplay that made players tire of Assassin’s Creed, it was everything else. After such a long break, there is the wide-open opportunity to re-imagine stealth mechanics in Splinter Cell and do away with the outdated features that caused some of Ubisoft’s most popular games to stagnate in the first place.
There’s no known Splinter Cell in development.
