Ubisoft Toronto is set to recreate the classic Splinter Cell formula from scratch, promising guaranteed next-gen gameplay and graphics…

Surprisingly, although rumours have been rife, Ubisoft has given the go-ahead for a Splinter Cell remake. The Ubisoft Toronto-led project will recreate the action and infiltration classic from scratch, using the Snowdrop graphics engine – the same one the company used for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Massive’s Star Wars project – to guarantee next-gen gameplay and graphics, with dynamic lighting and good use of shadows.

Ubisoft’s Toronto team is currently recruiting new staff to get started on the long-awaited project that will see Sam Fisher return to the world of video games in a title starring himself, for the first time since 2013’s Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist. And Ubisoft insists that this is a remake, not a remaster, as they believe that after nearly 20 years, this stealth classic needs changes that go beyond mere visuals.

When can we try the Splinter Cell remake? We’ll have to be patient as producer Matt West says it’s “still in the early stages of development”.

“We’re trying to keep the spirit of the first Splinter Cell games,” he adds. This includes keeping a linear structure rather than opting for an open world. But striving for fidelity doesn’t mean new features won’t be introduced.

“We have a new engine, and we can leverage the lifecycle of the consoles, so technology is one area where we don’t want to get stuck in the past,” says the remake’s technical lead. Ubisoft wants “to be able to prototype, innovate and try new things”. All this without changing the spirit of the game, which is nothing more than trying to complete your mission without the enemy noticing.

“It’s important for us to maintain a sense of mastery by supporting players as they observe situations, make their plans, use their tools and creatively outsmart the enemy to overcome challenges,” explains director Chris Auty. “This is the essence of Splinter Cell. Being a ghost against enemies who don’t make it easy.”

The long-awaited remake is being brought to life by a team of new talent, but Ubisoft is also bringing in veterans who have worked on other Splinter Cell projects. However, recruitment is still underway, so there’s a lot to be finalised in the coming days. “It’s been a long time since the original game, and even since the last sequel, long enough to skip an entire console generation,” he says.

As the project is still in its early stages, no screenshots or previews have been shared yet, but at the end of this article, you’ll find a recent developer video presentation, which is pretty impressive and at least gives an idea of what the Splinter Cell remake will look like.

Source: YouTube