Why Is the Splinter Cell Remake Still Taking So Long?

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We’re still waiting for the Splinter Cell Remake, with no release date in sight for 2025, but there’s been some recent news about Sam Fisher’s return. With remakes of games like The Last of Us Part 1, Resident Evil 2 and 3, Silent Hill 2, and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater all being released, it’s clear we’re in a golden age of remakes. A new Splinter Cell feels guaranteed, but the big question remains: when will it arrive? We asked this same question two years ago, and now we’re revisiting it with a few new details.

2026 and maybe 2027 are shaping up to be huge years for major video game releases, especially with the upcoming launch of GTA 6. The Splinter Cell Remake is facing some development challenges, but it’s still in progress and getting ready for release. Let’s take a look at why the remake is taking so long and what we know about it so far.

The developers first showed off the Splinter Cell Remake on December 15, 2021, and the same team that created Splinter Cell: Blacklist and Far Cry 6 (based in Toronto) is still leading the project as of late 2025. Currently, it appears the remake is being completely rebuilt, similar to other major remakes being developed today. The game is being built using the Snowdrop engine, but details are scarce, with information coming mainly from developer statements and news about changes in leadership.

David Grivel, the original director of the game remake, has returned to the project. He had previously left the development team in 2022, and Andrea Schmoll led the game until her departure in late 2025. There was concern the remake was facing major issues, like many troubled projects, but Grivel’s recent announcement on LinkedIn that he’s back in charge is a positive development. The company has a pattern of restarting projects when they stall, so while concerns were valid, Grivel’s return is encouraging.

The Snowdrop engine could be a major advantage for the upcoming remake. While it received criticism for its use in Star Wars Outlaws, particularly regarding launch issues, it appears well-suited to Splinter Cell’s more straightforward level design. Snowdrop excels at creating realistic lighting, detailed environments, and dynamic shadows – all crucial for a Splinter Cell game. The series has always relied on manipulating light and darkness for stealth, and Snowdrop’s advanced lighting technology should allow for more immersive and reactive gameplay. Classic features like shooting out lights or using night vision will likely look and function even better with this engine.

While the developer hasn’t officially announced when the game will be released, sources indicate 2026 is the most likely timeframe, and recent reports support this. Plans for 2026 and 2027 include remakes of Splinter Cell and Rayman, as well as new installments in the Assassin’s Creed (Hexe), Far Cry, and Ghost Recon series.

Let’s face it: with 2025 almost over, we still haven’t seen any gameplay for the remake. A release in 2026 would be quite hopeful. That said, surprise launches do happen – remember when the remastered version of Oblivion came out unexpectedly earlier this year? It wasn’t a complete overhaul, but it still included significant improvements. Even so, with so little news, no gameplay footage, and no marketing at all, 2026 still feels like a long shot for Splinter Cell Remake.

Okay, so everyone’s dying to know about the gameplay, right? Honestly, it’s a little weird – since they first announced this back in 2021, we haven’t seen anything in action. Not even a quick peek at how it’s actually going to play! They did show some concept art for the 20th anniversary of Splinter Cell last year, which was cool, but that’s it. It’s starting to feel odd considering how long this remake has been in the works, although I guess it happens sometimes when a game goes through changes with who’s leading the development.

Early in development, there were rumors that the game might become an open-world experience like Halo Infinite, as we previously reported. However, Producer Matt West has confirmed that this isn’t the case. The Splinter Cell Remake will stick to a linear structure, maintaining the slow, careful pace and focus on stealth that defined the original game.

The developers have promised fans that the tense, strategic gameplay style of the original Splinter Cell games is still central to the new title, and has even been enhanced by smarter enemy AI. They’re deliberately aiming for that same feel – a focus on stealth, gadgets, and careful planning rather than direct combat. I’m particularly looking forward to the game’s signature dark humor, especially during interrogation scenes, which will feature much more realistic facial expressions than the original games. Hopefully, Michael Ironside will return to voice Sam Fisher, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet.

There haven’t been any new story details for the game. The last significant news came in 2022 with a job posting for a scriptwriter, which indicated they were using the original Splinter Cell as a starting point and rewriting parts of the story. Comments made at the time suggested the story was being updated to appeal to modern audiences, and with no further information released since then, it’s likely those plans are still in place.

In a 2022 update, the developers promised to stay true to the original game’s core ideas while also making the characters and world feel more realistic and genuine.

It seems the story will still take place in Georgia and Sam Fisher will still be looking for missing team members, but the script will probably be updated to feel a bit more current and believable. We might see things like drone technology and modern surveillance methods used instead of the classic spy gear from the original game. Hopefully, the characters won’t be changed to fit modern trends in a way that feels forced or unnatural.

Full remakes are much more involved than simple remasters, often taking years to develop, as seen with Final Fantasy VII Remake, which took five years. The upcoming Splinter Cell Remake is being completely rebuilt using a new engine and current technology. This means everything – the environments, lighting, artificial intelligence, gadgets, animations, and cutscenes – is being created from scratch. Unlike some remasters, like Oblivion Remastered, it isn’t relying on the original game’s existing code or engine from 2006.

As a big fan, it’s been really unsettling to see what’s been happening with the company lately. Over the past year, they’ve gone through a huge shakeup. The restructuring, plus that big partnership with Tencent in 2025, led to a lot of projects getting cancelled or teams being moved around – it felt like everyone was just shifting positions. I know it impacted studios in Montreal, Toronto (especially the team working on Splinter Cell, which is worrying!), and at Massive. The changes in leadership on Splinter Cell specifically probably meant they had to start over or completely rework things, which is never a good sign.

As 2025 nears its end, there’s still no public news about the Splinter Cell Remake. While the game is still in development with the original team lead now back on board, Ubisoft hasn’t started any marketing efforts. Despite some changes in leadership and periods of silence, the project is progressing at the Toronto studio, and the game engine appears to be a good fit for the kind of spy-thriller experience fans expect.

If the expected release dates are accurate, we might see Splinter Cell Remake revealed at an event like Forward or another summer showcase. For now, Splinter Cell remains hidden, just like its main character, Sam Fisher, patiently waiting for the perfect time to reappear.

Please be aware that the opinions shared in this article are the author’s own and don’t reflect the official stance of GamingBolt.

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2025-12-11 21:45