Publisher Ubisoft today announced that a remake of the original Splinter Cell game has been greenlit and is currently in the works at its Toronto Studio.
The Splinter Cell remake is developed using Ubisoft's own Snowdrop engine, which also powers Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and will be used to deliver modern visuals, including the dynamic lighting and shadows that made the series popular.
The Splinter Cell remake is currently "still in the very earliest stages of development," according to Producer Matt West, who noted that the team's intention is to keep intact the spirit of the original while modernizing it wherever necessary.
To that extent, the game will remain a linear experience and not shift to an open-world structure, like many other Ubisoft games that have launched over the last couple of years.
"It’s important for us to preserve the sense of mastery by supporting players who observe the situations, make their plan, use their gadgets, and outsmart the enemy creatively to deal with the challenges they are presented with," Creative Director Chris Auty added.
He also noted that the "flawless planning, execution and satisfaction you feel when you go in and absolutely ace every encounter," greatly contributed to making the original game compelling, which is why the remake will try to recreate the same feeling.
"There's stuff that simply needs to be redone from scratch to be up to snuff for a modern gameplay experience," Producer Matt West said. "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.'
Although this might not be the new title fans of the series were waiting for, Ubisoft sees the remake as "a solid base for the future of Splinter Cell."
The team working on the Splinter Cell remake will be made up of both series veterans and new blood, with Ubisoft Toronto currently hiring for multiple different positions.
There's no word on when the Splinter Cell remake will launch, but it's certainly great to hear about Sam Fisher finally returning in his own game after what felt like much too long.
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