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Ubisoft has revealed that 2002’s Splinter Cell will be getting a remake, with efforts led by Ubisoft Toronto. Splinter Cell will be rebuilt from the ground up using Ubisoft’s own Snowdrop engine, which is currently also being used for the company’s upcoming Star Wars and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora games. Ubisoft says the Splinter Cell remake will feature dynamic lighting and shadows, which will be incorporated into the game’s level design.
Splinter Cell will also be a linear experience, as Ubisoft added that Sam Fisher’s return won’t take place in an open-world sandbox.
“Although we’re still in the very earliest stages of development, what we’re trying to do is make sure the spirit of the early games remains intact, in all of the ways that gave early Splinter Cell its identity,” producer Matt West explained in Ubisoft reveal post. “So, as we’re building it from the ground up, we’re going to update it visually, as well as some of the design elements to match player comfort and expectations, and we are going to keep it linear like the original games, not make it open world.”
What will be different, though, is how Fisher moves in this world. Technical producer Peter Handrinos added that exploration and innovation will be key pillars of the new Splinter Cell, while West mentioned that the studio was looking to redefine what stealth action gameplay should be for more modern gaming audiences.
“There’s stuff that simply needs to be redone from scratch to be up to snuff for a modern gameplay experience,” West explained. “With that, though, what do we need to do to absolutely preserve the feeling of early Splinter Cell? We’re going to be straddling the line between the spirit of the old, and the comfort of the new, so that we can excite and surprise new players, but also make sure that when our returning players pick up the controller, they have that sigh of relief, saying “Ahhh, they got it.”
Don’t expect the Splinter Cell remake to arrive soon, as these are still early days for the project. Ubisoft Toronto is currently building its team and plans to establish a new foundation for Splinter Cell’s future. Until it does arrive, fans with VR hardware can look forward to an upcoming Oculus-exclusive Splinter Cell game that’s also currently in development under Red Storm Entertainment.
