In context: If you're a fan of stealth-action games, there's a very good chance you've heard of the Splinter Cell franchise. It's been around for nearly two decades, with each game building upon its predecessor's mechanics while retaining the same protagonist and same basic gameplay loop.
The series has proven incredibly popular, with seven main entries in total. Though later games bring various twists on the core experience, each title emphasizes stealth, espionage, and the clever use of fancy spy gadgets, such as Fisher's iconic night-vision goggles, smoke grenades, and much more.
Sounds like a recipe for success, right? For a time, it was – combined, the Splinter Cell games have sold tens of millions of copies, but for one reason or another, Ubisoft has all but abandoned the series in recent years. The last mainline Splinter Cell game to hit the market was Splinter Cell: Blacklist, which was released way back in 2013.
Since then, Ubisoft has mostly pushed the franchise to the side, using it for little more than the occasional spin-off. For better or worse, we have yet another one of those on the horizon: according to Variety, Ubisoft has signed a deal to produce an anime series based on the Splinter Cell franchise.
The series will be a Netflix exclusive, and John Wick writer Derek Kolstad is expected to take the helm. Like the games, the show will follow the exploits of Sam Fisher as he undergoes stealth-oriented missions in the employ of the elusive government agency known as Third Echelon.
For the time being, two seasons of the series are planned, with 16 episodes in total. It is not clear when the show will launch, or how closely it will attempt to follow its source material.