Ubisoft recently announced the remake of the iconic Prince of Persia game, Sands of Time. The game, released in 2003, was finally revived after a long wait, signaling a future for the franchise. The announcement understandably caused tremendous excitement among the Ubisoft fanbase. Many also expected the publisher to reveal a new project about the Splinter Cell series finally. However, just like previous years, Ubisoft has ignored the franchise yet again.
First released in 2002, the Splinter Cell games adapt the much renowned Tom Clancy’s works. The game, along with Prince of Persia, and later Assassin’s Creed, would propel Ubisoft into its current fame. The franchise has released several titles to date. Besides, the series has collected enormous plaudits due to revolutionizing the stealth genre in gaming. Its most recent release came in the form of Splinter Cell Blacklist, in 2013. Though the game received mixed reviews from critics, it went on to become a commercial success. Yet, since then, Ubisoft has mostly kept aside the Splinter Cell franchise.
Of course, the franchise is not dead yet. However, it is stuck in a strange in-between place between relevance and redundancy. It is especially evident from the fact that Sam Fisher, the franchise’s protagonist, continues appearing in other Ubisoft titles. Furthermore, there are reports of Ubisoft adapting it into a Netflix series. These are undoubtedly good news for the series and publisher. But, the company also needs to consider the series’ loyal fan base.
Gamers have been waiting for years to have a new title of the much-beloved series, but all they have received in silence and anxiety. Therefore, many have started pointing fingers at the company, hoping for answers. Recently, there were reports about the franchise returning as a remake. Personally speaking, a remake in a similar vein to Prince of Persia would be good for the franchise. It would allow the publisher to gauge fan reaction. Plus, gamers who couldn’t play the older titles would have a chance to experience them. Overall, such a decision would be a win-win scenario for both. However, Ubisoft has publicly refuted the rumors and claimed that such a project does not exist until now. The author believes that Ubisoft should end the hide-and-seek game and reveal its plans for the series. Until then, gamers will have to adjust to a few more years of uncertainty.
