Ubisoft announces plans for a
Splinter Cell remake, following up on a
rumor that a new
installment in the stealth series is coming. There was word this would be an
open-world game, but it turns out it will be an updated version of the original
game using the Snowdrop Engine. The announcement includes a Q&A with three of
the developers on the project. This is in the works at Ubisoft Toronto and there's
also
a separate interview with the studio's managing director Istvan Tajnay.
Here's word from producer Matt West on why this is being called a remake rather
than a remaster:
To me, a remake takes what you’d do in a remaster and
goes a little bit further with it. The original Splinter Cell has a lot that was
amazing and revolutionary at the time it came out, 19 years ago. The gaming
public now has an even more refined palate. So, I think it kind of has to be a
remake as opposed to a remaster. Although we're still in the very earliest
stages of development, what we're trying to do is make sure the spirit of the
early games remains intact, in all of the ways that gave early Splinter Cell its
identity. So, as we're building it from the ground up, we're going to update it
visually, as well as some of the design elements to match player comfort and
expectations, and we are going to keep it linear like the original games, not
make it open world. How do we make sure that new fans are able to pick up the
controller and dive right in, and fall in love with the game and the world right
from the get-go?