Splinter Cell has received plenty attention of late. Rumors swirled weeks ahead of E3 2018 that Ubisoft would announce a new entry in the series. Unfortunately, Ubisoft’s conference came and went without so much as a mention of Sam Fisher’s return. According to the publisher’s Chief Creative Officer, Serge Hascoet, the franchise’s dormancy isn’t because Ubisoft is uninterested. Rather, Splinter Cell’s absence is emblematic of a “resource” problem.
During an interview with Game Informer, Hascoet explained why franchises such as Splinter Cell and Prince of Persia are on the sidelines. “I love Splinter Cell,” he told the publication. “I love Prince of Persia. I can’t disclose any information at this time, but I can say we are fighting for resources. It’s not a question of will, it’s a question of means.” Due to Ubisoft’s having dozens of studios worldwide, the CCO’s concerns regarding resources are puzzling. However, it’s important to remember that many studios often aid in developing one game. For example, while Ubisoft Quebec led the charge on Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, at least half a dozen other teams were also instrumental in its completion.
Ubisoft Toronto, the developer behind 2013’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist, is presently hard at work on Starlink: Battle for Atlas. Splinter Cell: Conviction’s studio, Ubisoft Montreal, just launched Far Cry 5. T...