It has been a long, long time since the Splinter Cell franchise has seen any real love. We’ve been inundated with cameos, crossovers and more, but have yet to see a new Splinter Cell title.
There is a rumor that a new Splinter Cell is in the works, but these rumors come up all the time. We actually have yet to hear anything from Ubisoft about the VR Splinter Cell for the Occulus line of VR gear, but that isn’t surprising.
Fans, however, are already gearing up to push Ubisoft to do the right thing for the franchise via an open letter encouraging Ubisoft to involve fans in the development process and to adhere to more classic gameplay styles, rather than their trend to homogenize the titles.
You can learn more about the open letter here, including how to get involved. The coordination between multiple Splinter Cell communities is fantastic, and I’m encouraged by the 180 signatures already on the document (including my own). I’d like to outline a few bits from the open letter, just in case you were on the fence about supporting it:
In October 2021, the recent rumors surrounding the development of a new Splinter Cell game brought more concerns and skepticism than we have ever seen before. Not only did long-time fans voice their concerns, but all types of players are also afraid to see Splinter Cell follow the same path as other current Tom Clancy IPs and, ultimately, lose its identity for good.
Continuing on with..
This is why we are of the opinion that an active discussion and collaboration between developers and fans would be very beneficial for the franchise and ensure it a bright future. We have many innovative ideas, concepts, and constructive topics that we would love to share on how we think this franchise could grow in the right direction. We are aware that games constantly need to attract new players, and it’s even more the case for a dormant franchise. Of course, we are open for newcomers but we also believe there are ways to teach them the complex stealth mechanics of the series, and we have suggestions on how to make these mechanics accessible and fun for them without penalizing the experience of longtime stealth players. In fact, another stealth franchise did a similar move for its recent games.
And, if you really want to know how Splinter Cell fans feel..
Also, we are convinced that focusing on only one playstyle (i.e. ghost) is the proper way to unlock the untapped potential of the Splinter Cell’s gameplay. Appealing to the mainstream audience isn’t always the answer; this mentality greatly hindered the last Splinter Cell entry and only made the game frustrating and unsatisfying for many stealth fans.
Just another quote (there is so much to pull from here)..
However, we also have fears about certain modern gaming trends making their way into the next Splinter Cell game. These fears are real because many of them have already been implemented in other Ubisoft titles such as adopting an open-world formula with light RPG mechanics, development being led by economic designers instead of game designers, becoming a free-to-play or multiplayer only game, and having unrealistic cosmetics, weapons, gadgets, and stories that aren’t appropriate in the spirit of Tom Clancy’s works.
I could keep quoting and quoting portions of the open letter, but in my opinion you need to read it for yourself. It’s something any fan of the Splinter Cell series can get behind.
Read the full letter here. Show your support and ask to be a signatory here.