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Ubisoft has finally confirmed the existence of a Splinter Cell remake. The development of the remake has been greenlit by the publisher and it is being led by Ubisoft Toronto.
The original title - Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell - launched in 2002 on multiple platforms including the PS2 and Xbox. It was praised at the time for its impressive graphics and stealth action, while the last entry in the series, 2013's Splinter Cell: Blacklist, came out on the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii U.
The remake will be rebuilt "from the ground up" and will use the 'Snowdrop' engine - a new engine that will also power forthcoming Ubisoft games Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and a Star Wars title. This engine will deliver "new-generation visuals and gameplay, and the dynamic lighting and shadows the series is known for," Ubisoft said.
The French giant announced the remake with a teaser video:
There is no release date as yet and the developer is looking for talent to work on the title so we can assume the remake is still in its relatively early stages. In an interview published on Ubisoft's website, those working on the project revealed more details about the remake.
"To me, a remake takes what you'd do in a remaster and goes a little bit further with it," said producer Matt West. "The original Splinter Cell has a lot that was amazing and revolutionary at the time it came out, 19 years ago," inadvertently making everyone who played the original feel ancient.
"The gaming public now has an even more refined palate. So, I think it kind of has to be a remake as opposed to a remaster," he went on.
The creative director Chris Auty honed in on what made the Splinter Cell games feel so special: "We recognize a huge part of the appeal of Splinter Cell is the flawless planning, execution and satisfaction you feel when you go in and absolutely ace every encounter," he said. "Seeing your mastery put on display at the end of things, especially when you go through with no alarms triggered – that's a big part of the Splinter Cell experience, and we want to be sure we’re honoring that."
West also mentioned the series' famous slogan: "The phrase 'Stealth Action Redefined' from the original game has actually proven to be a really valuable North Star for us," he said.
Splinter Cell fans will certainly remember those gorgeous shadows and it's a tantalising prospect to imagine what Sam Fisher might look like on modern consoles.