Ubisoft has faced several struggles with underperforming releases, including titles yet to be released that have already been deemed failures. But recent reports suggest that the company is shifting its focus. With key members from the disbanded Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown team joining new projects, there’s a lot of speculation.
If the studio is looking to go back to basics then fans know exactly what they want. Splinter Cell. With the studio’s latest struggles and shifting priorities, the time seems ripe for the iconic stealth-action series to return, perhaps even positioning itself as a challenger to iconic titles from other studios.
Ubisoft Needs a Win And Sam Fisher Could Be The Key
The Splinter Cell remake was first announced in December 2021, with Ubisoft revealing plans to rebuild the game from the ground up. Since then, however, updates on the project have been scarce. The game’s development, rumored to be progressing under the codename “North,” has been notably slow.
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With the developers of The Lost Crown moving on to other projects, we can only hope the iconic stealth franchise is one of them. And while we still don’t have an exact release date or window, many fans are hopeful that this game could rekindle the magic of the original games.
The company’s ambitious projects, such as Beyond Good & Evil 2, have been plagued with delays and development issues. Originally announced in 2008, Beyond Good & Evil 2 holds the record for the longest development period in video game history.
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Given the company’s ongoing struggles, the potential of any kind of success is even more vital. The developer has seen several recent releases fall short of commercial expectations. Even ones that were critically well-received like The Lost Crown did not achieve the expected sales figures.
I miss when Ubisoft cooked pic.twitter.com/tvsWo6pg4s
— Arron Automata 🤖 (@Arron_TK) October 22, 2024
With such high-profile disappointments, a return of this beloved franchise could be the opportunity to recapture the hearts of both old and new players. It is concerning though because the project may join Beyond Good & Evil 2 in development limbo.
When In Doubt, It Might Be Best To Go Back To What Works and What Fans Want
The franchise, while iconic, has been dormant for too long. The last major release, Splinter Cell: Blacklist in 2013, was well-received but didn’t achieve the commercial success that the studio had hoped for.
‘Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell’ was released on this day 21 years ago!
November 17, 2002.
Happy Anniversary to my personal favorite stealth game franchise! pic.twitter.com/xePU7EguxL
— Stealth Game Aesthetics (@SGARedefined) November 17, 2023
The Splinter Cell remake, first announced in 2021, was initially met with excitement but has since faced its own set of challenges. The project has been delayed multiple times and now we don’t even know if it’ll ever come out.
Some reports suggest that the game is being developed using the powerful Snowdrop Engine, the same engine used for Star Wars Outlaws and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. This will at the very least mean the game will have modern graphics.
Bro cooked the entire Ubisoft Company pic.twitter.com/lNpgGonvx3
— NikTek (@NikTekOfficial) October 21, 2024
It’s no secret that Ubisoft has struggled to maintain the same level of innovation and excitement it once generated with franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon. However, Splinter Cell holds a special place in gaming history.
The company has also faced backlash recently for failing to meet expectations and setting unachievable targets for its games. A successful revival of Splinter Cell would stabilize the company and give it a much-needed win at a time when its reputation is under threat.
What do you think the studio should do to make a comeback? Let us know in the comments!
