For years, the question has echoed through the halls of every gaming forum and social media thread: When will we get a new Splinter Cell? While Sam Fisher has made cameo appearances, a proper, mainline title has been MIA since 2013's Blacklist. Now, thanks to a new report, we have a clearer, and somewhat heartbreaking, picture of just how close we came to a revival—before Ubisoft pulled the plug.
According to a deep-dive investigation by Jason Schreier of Bloomberg, a new Splinter Cell game was indeed in active development at Ubisoft back in 2017. The project was led by a passionate team, including developers Nick Herman, Dennis Lenart, and Pierre Shorette, who were eager to bring the iconic stealth series back to its former glory.
A Dream Project That Fizzled Out
In comments that will sting for longtime fans, Nick Herman revealed the team's initial excitement. "I was so excited to be a part of this and help revitalize it, because it’s been dormant for a while," Herman stated. "And we thought we could tell a great story and do something the fans would love."
For the first six months, the project was a source of genuine enthusiasm. The team believed they were crafting something special, a true successor that would satisfy the community's long-held expectations. But that optimism was short-lived.
"It was exciting to go to work for the first six months because we thought we were going to be able to make something really great," Herman recalled. "And then you realize that all of the things you care about, they don’t anymore. It’s a common thing in games."
This sentiment points to a larger, industry-wide shift that was happening at Ubisoft and beyond. The cancellation wasn't due to the project's quality, but a fundamental change in corporate strategy.
The Live Service Pivot: From Sam Fisher to XDefiant
So, why cancel a potentially beloved new entry in a legendary franchise? The answer, according to the report, lies in Ubisoft's growing obsession with the "live service" model. During this period, the company was aggressively pivoting towards creating ongoing, games-as-a-service titles designed for long-term player engagement and recurrent spending.
The ambitious Splinter Cell project was a casualty of this new direction. Ubisoft leadership was reportedly losing interest in single-player-focused experiences in favor of titles that could compete in the lucrative multiplayer arena. The assets and groundwork for the canceled Splinter Cell were ultimately repurposed into what would become XDefiant—a free-to-play, class-based shooter explicitly designed to compete with giants like Call of Duty.
This turbulent period of shifting corporate priorities and project reboots is a common story in modern game development. For a broader look at the challenges behind creating a hit game, the recent report, The Turbulent Seven-Year Saga Behind Hit Game Dispatch, offers a fascinating parallel.
The irony, of course, is that XDefiant failed to live up to Ubisoft's ambitions. Plagued by a lack of content and struggling to retain players, the game's servers were shut down in June of last year, just over a year after its release. The failure was significant enough to lead to the closure of Ubisoft's San Francisco and Osaka studios.
What Could Have Been
The revelation of a canceled Splinter Cell is a tough pill to swallow for a fanbase that has been patiently waiting. It confirms that a dedicated team was ready and willing to deliver a game built with passion, only to have it shelved for a corporate strategy that ultimately backfired.
For now, the iconic trifocal goggles remain in the dark. But this story serves as a poignant reminder of what was almost within reach and leaves us wondering if Sam Fisher will ever get the true solo comeback he so richly deserves.