Ubisoft's Splinter Cell Remake Will 'Update The Story' For Modern Audiences

@A01 I can’t think of anything in the original game that is so dated that a so-called “modern-day audience” would need changes to be made to it. I can pretty much guess exactly what sort of needless alterations they’re going to make.

If your going to change the story just make a ne one

I didn't know there were videogames in pre-modern times.

Tom Clancy stories have a generally clear set of tropes and themes. I don't get what they want to modernise.

@A01 As quick as you can say Saints Row

I loved the Splinter Cell games, particularly Chaos Theory, despite the incredibly dull, and often unintentionally funny stories. I suspect that by "modern audiences" they mean people who are accustomed to watching well written TV shows. Sadly, the racist homophobes will crawl out from their mum's basement to whine about woke people ruining their games. Again.

Lets wait for the details guys but, no, it doesn’t sound good

@Phantasystar77 Beat me to it. This is the only thing it could mean. Why can't games just be left alone.

Is it going to feature all the latest slang terms like "wizard", "ace" and "hot diggity dog" so all the kids will play it?

@Barry_Biscuits seems like all the woke, hipster, do-gooder, public activists who think that if anyone dares to mention anything about trans, gay, lesbian or anything else is a bigot, have already crawled out of their basements.

What if people don't want their favourite characters from a game changing for other reasons? There are conclusions other than being racist, homophobic or transphobic.

Oh boy. This cannot end well.

@TheGrimOne When they get upset over race, sexuality, and gender in an article that doesn't mention race, sexuality, or gender, you kinda come to the conclusion that these people are just hung up on these things, and that they perceive these things as bad.

i.e., racist, sexist, homo/transphobic, bigots.

Oh and Purexbox. I noticed that these sites were quick to shutdown talk about JK Rowling's wider "discussion" because this isn't the "time, or place", but we get a lot of straight up bigotry slide right through and stay up recently. What's up with that?

@Richnj yeah that's what it boils down to doesn't it. No one has anything good to say so they latch on to the latest subject that will get them social clout.

@Barry_Biscuits People wouldn't complain if it hadn't already happened to all of their other favorite IP's. The trend is in your face obvious, the reasons are publicly broadcast by the publishers/producers. The world of pop culture has become a wasteland of ruined IP's, remade for "modern" audiences, being gutted in the process of everything that was originally beloved about them. The fans watch in horror as their IP is systematically made unrecognizable and wind up abandoning the property. When the money dries up, the creators shutter the projects and move on to the next beloved IP to "modernise". The cycle has continued for so long now that fans can see it coming a mile away, and they have every right to voice their dissent.

Ubisoft probably know some people would get triggered or need their safe space.

@Richnj The locusts that re-boot/ruin these IP's are the ones hung up on race, sexuality and gender. If they weren't, they wouldn't feel the need to change them.

Come on fellow xboxers let have some fun and play predication, whoever is right next year gets bragging rights.
The big 3 all due by the end of June 2023, according to Xbox showcase:
My prediction:
Redfall, on time, released by end of June 2023
Forza, delayed, September 2023
Starfield, delayed, November 2023.

Only one prediction each no cheating please 😊

@Grail_Quest I've watched plenty of IPs get completely trashed without the inclusion of more diverse casts.

Why it is, that when these discussions come up, it's always about the identity of the cast, and not the quality of the stories being written?.

Ubisoft probably got inspiration from the latest Saints Row entry, and will now turn Sam Fisher and his team into annoying hipsters who complain about capitalism.

@Dezzy70 If one of the big 3 gets delayed it's gonna be Starfield

Redfall March 2023 - it has been shown off the most
Forza Motorsport May 2023
Starfield June 2023

Can't think of anything about the original that needs changes for a 'modern audience' except updating controls to be a bit better. Whenever I hear the story is being updated, that's usually enough for me to tune out but I've been waiting a long time for this series to return so I'll give the benefit of the doubt for now. For as much as Ubisoft gets crap about being a 'woke' company I haven't really noticed much in any of the stories it tells that is so obnoxious about it. Watch Dogs 2 is probably my least favorite of its more recent games because of the 'hipster' vibe but it also fit in with the setting. I don't see the devs being stupid enough to try and make Sam Fisher appeal to the Fortnite lovers.

@Solidchief
Wow so you gone all 3 by June 2023
Some release schedule if it happens.

@Richnj Just dropped by to state how well said some of your points are.

I was going to comment, but you pretty much echoed my thoughts.

Anyway, let’s all just stop and demand more from our entertainment, no matter who they cast.

I mean Splinter Cell, as most will know is based on Tom Clancy work, which as many shall know, is dull, trite, repetitive and very predictable at best.

So whilst many keep stating they don’t know what Ubisoft could do to modernise it, I do, demand more from gaming and storylines, if all we are getting is the dull story with great gameplay of Splinter Cell, then why even bother.

It’s like how I can respect the original James Bond films, but my gosh are they dated in the language and terms they use.

So just like Bond films, times change, and so do the expectations of gamers.

Modern audiences can also just simply mean a more cognitively demanding audience, one that expects games to really push storytelling not push it aside.

It doesn’t have to mean we are all going to Pride march a spy down Oxford Street and have to reassign our characters gender for an achievement or trophy.

Because as we all know people of colour, along with people within the LGBTQ community can not become anyone of power or respectful. So God forbid we show a black and gay spy.

So, to end, just because Tom Clancy didn’t write about people within those communities being a part of various public services, doesn’t mean they aren’t. So where’s the harm in including them occasionally?

Oh, and just a side note, I can be a “Fortnite lover” and enjoy dull and repetitive Tom Clancy spy games.

This franchise has a chance, but for anyone who has recently played it, it’s like comparing the Mission Impossible TV show to the films, it’s just worlds apart from what people would expect now.

Sam fisher will be a snarky corporate version of a millennial with gelled but still messy hair. He will have beats headphones around his neck and a shoulder bag.

@Dezzy70

*My prediction:
Redfall, on time, released by end of June 2023
Forza, delayed, September 2023
Starfield, delayed, November 2023.

Only one prediction each no cheating please*

Man, you would just love that, wouldn't you 😁.
So you can keep complaining about how no big AAA games are coming from Xbox until holidays 2023, oh and lest we forget the Sony stick you usually cary to clobber us with ie; HFW, Spiderman, GOW Ragnarok (I actually like gow) etc,etc. 😉

I just wanted to comment and greatly commend on the posts from @Richnj & @TheElectrofunky.

Could not agree more 👏 with everything you both said.

It makes me sad when people standing up for a more inclusive society are deemed to be woke, hipsters or whatever else names/descriptions "certain" individuals come up with.

I'm so happy we can play the originals via back compat

@Sol4ris Thank you, means a lot!

@Enigk No, but all the characters will have to add the word "f--k" at least once to every sentence to make sure it's cool and relevant.

I'd like to chime in one last time here and try and clear up a misconception that is too readily perpetuated.

Fans who are against dramatically altering a beloved IP in the name of "modernisation" are not against the inclusion of a variety of races and genders. The people who don't want to see James Bond or Sam Fisher race or gender swapped would also be just as upset if someone tried to reboot Spawn or Blade or Night Thrasher (had to throw him in there... he's one of my favorites) as white dudes. Zorro was created as a Spaniard and should remain that way. The Prince of Persia should be... well, Persian.

There is something special and unique about all of the various ethnicities present in the world. That sentiment applies to ALL of them, even those of fairer complexion.

This is not limited to race and gender, but extends beyond to the content of the character as well. Fans get upset, and rightly so, when writers suddenly change characters who had previously been portrayed as competent, intelligent or fierce and are suddenly made out to be incompetent, foolish or weak (especially when it is obviously done to prop up another, often newer character in contrast).

You can have great stories and compelling characters of any and every race, gender and religion... but once they have been established... once a fandom has embraced them... leave them alone.

@Sol4ris
No not really like I said it is just a bit fun.
Currently playing desthloop on my series x through Gamepass and enjoying.

My prediction is what I predict.
So have some fun and give me yours.
You could be correct and will have bragging rights 😅 and say told you so to me and I will have to bow down to your superior prediction.

@Grail_Quest
Well said. People not wanting Sam Fisher to become black, trans Samantha Fisher, doesn't mean they're transphobic. I also think it's a stretch when people automatically assume modern audience means devs are going that direction, though. Some companies have lost the benefit of the doubt with remakes/reboots, some haven't. Ubisoft is generally on point, imo, the biggest problem with the company is on the business side. Some of the ways it tries to gauge money out of customers is on EA, Activision levels of bad.

@Barry_Biscuits You mean like other people that complain incessantly about whitewashing like it's a end of world but have zero issues with blackwashing?

No Michael Ironside, no buy. I learned that with the last two that were complete ass.

Simple as that really.

@GuyinPA75 How does pointing out an inconsistency in policy prove wanting to cause a disturbance?

Either talking about the wider political issues is OK, or it's not.

Hi there fellow gamers.
Didn´t even remember they announced this, so thanks for the reminder.
As for the Remake itself, all I want is better controls, stealth as the main path (with Ghost, Panther and assault as different ways to play the game), a compeling spy narrative and last, but not least, Michael Ironside to interpret is role once again.
Just like David Hayter is THE voice of Solid Snake,
Michael Ironside is THE voice of Sam Fisher.
Hopefully they make a really good Splinter Cell game.
Cheers, stay safe everyone and all the best

Get woke, go broke.

@GuyinPA75 I can't, for the life of me, fathom why anyone would use the term "blackwashing". Or complain about seeing more diverse culture in games.

I dont much care for all this Racial/LGBTQ debates, I honestly don't care if the character I play as is black, white, gay, lesbian, transgender etc or games getting reboots that change the main character, couldn't care less if the next tomb raider was a man named Liam croft (sorry Liam) As long as the games are good, story is good, gameplay is good, lore is good, performance is good and graphics are good then that's all that matters. A characters race or sex doesn't make a game good or bad.

This begs the question: why even make a remake? Why not just make a new one if they want a different story? That' a pretty major and integral part of a game to change.

@GuyinPA75 The whole "whitewashing blackwashing" thing is something that needs to be brought up, because of the current social climate that seems to obsess over race and identity. I mean on one end you have people who are obsessed with race swapping and making everything "diverse" aka changing the race/gender/whatever of established characters to better suit the ideals of a political crowd/agenda.

I mean I am far from someone who is against better representation of different groups in media, especially as a gay guy who has long desired to see more gay guys represented well in things, but that said I still have gotta respect work and creations for the way they were intended to be by their original creators, and I don't think everything from the past is suddenly problematic and needs to be changed just because I have my own desires for better self representation.

Exactly what no one asked for. Another IP about to be ruined.

Ubisoft still one of my favorite developers right now. I'm not gonna complain about the changes when I don't even know what they are.

@Grail_Quest I get people not wanting things to change, but that doesn't mean they have to stay the same either.

Friendly reminder that they did change Bond and people raged about it. And now nobody gives two sh*ts about a blonde Bond. And the outrage looks petty in retrospect.

There's more to these character than their hair or skin colour. Idris Elba has more Bond energy and than many white guys. No one's picking Danny DeVito over Elba as their next Bond just to keep a skin tone consistent.

@JayJ Exactly and thank you.

It needs to stop all the swapping of race or gender or sexuality for a character just for sake of getting let's say a black person in there. It's insulting to black people! By doing that you are saying that there is no way a new black character can be interesting unless it's just swapped out of an already established character. Now that's racist.

Deathloop am very early in and I'm enjoying so far. Guess what? It's got black people! Oh no! Blacks! But as far as I know Deathloop is an original. No prior books, moves, TV, etc. If there was source material with white, Asian or whatever and they swapped it out to make black I would instantly be disgusted by this and immediately be turn off the game simply due to laziness on so many ends.

Bottom line, if you want black characters, Asian characters, gay characters, whatever, that's fine. Create them!!! Don't be woke or don't be a lazy bones and swap out already established character. Create them!

@Barry_Biscuits See above post. If you can't understand that, it speaks volumes in my opinion.

Yeah no, no thanks, it will be the same as saint row isn't it, yeah I lost my faith in this remake, ubisoft can shove it, I don't want this anymore.

My prediction: game journalist and twitter freaks will love this game, gamers will hate it, it won't sells much, the ip will be dormant again.

@Lup I mean this legitimately: How?

The Division has been copy pastes with no evolution.

Ghost Recon hadn't been good since the 360, and I personally argue since the original Xbox when you could play it in first person.

There hasn't been a proper Rainbow Six game since Vegas 2, again, the 360.

Farcry stopped being good after 3. And the only thing that saved 3 was a return to the tropical settings of the OG.

Splinter Cell's last good game was on the original Xbox. All three released on the 360 were so awful it hurt.

And don't even get me started on Assassin's Creed. The game's name is included as an example of "copy/paste". It has gotten so bad that life long fans have been abandoning it enough for Ubisoft to just now finally decide to break the mold and go back to a more focused game. It is nice they're finally deciding that "making open world bigger" does not make a good game.

I will give you that Immortals was pretty good. And I feel most of that came from the fresh setting and the humor. But even it suffered from what I felt was too large of an open world game with how sparse the content was in between.

@InterceptorAlpha

I don't have to like ALL their games.
The Division, Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six are games in a genre I don't enjoy too much, so I won't talk about those.

With Far Cry I completely disagree. I found 2 and 3 very boring (1 I never finished). But 4 onwards I loved every second.

About Assassin's Creed... Valhalla was the best selling AC in the whole series. Or at least the one that got them the most revenue.
I can't get enough of AC. I love the games. Especially the new trilogy. Many people just write them off as copy paste, but I like the differences each game brings. Origins overhauled the whole series (something that the fans wanted might I add). Odyssey improved over the path Origins took adding more RPG elements such as giving you the option to choose your main character, making choices during the game, having romances and even multiple endings depending on said choices. Tweaked the combat and the progression, added a lot of extra mechanics and we even got back naval combat (if some people like it or not, that's another thing).
Valhalla then again changed how the combat works, added a lot of stuff, and it even has things like mini-games.
Maybe you don't like AC but for me, few games of the "classic" ones are as good as the last three. I love all the side stuff there's to do. You have a lot of sidequests all with their own story, you get bored of that? You can go and hunt ships. Get tired or that? Maybe go to the Arena. Not feeling like it? Maybe it's time to climb some ranks in the Mercenary ranking or kill some cultists.
Right now I'm beginning Odyssey again. Along with Witcher 3 probably my favorite game in a long time.
So yeah, there's still people who like AC for what it is. Mirage? I'm not sure I'll like it after three big open worlds full of stuff to do.
People always put the Ezio games on a pedestal but tend to forget how basic those were, how clunky the parkour was, and how simply bad the combat was. And yeah, surely collecting feathers or Animus Fragments was better than having actual sidequests with characters and a little plot.

Immortals I haven't finished yet. I have mixed feelings about that game. The humor I loved, but having most of the side stuff locked behind abilities or upgrades wasn't to my liking. Just another thing I like about Assassin's Creed: aside from your level and that your enemies, you don't have any other restriction to go wherever you want or do whatever you want.

With just Far Cry 4 and 5 and Odyssey Ubisoft would be one of my favorite developers.
No need to like every game they make for that.

@GuyinPA75 Yeah it's kind of become a ridiculous backwards logic sort of thing where they change something extremely obvious about well established characters and expect nobody to say anything when they made those changes due to some group of people being extremely loud about what they thought needed to be changed. It just gets self-contradictory when they start to accuse people of things like racism or sexism for acknowledging a race or gender swap on a character, because lets face it, the only reason those changes were made was because of all the attention the creators of the new material put on those aspects of those characters.

Yep, getting woke, no doubt. That's what for modern day means.

Or people could just wait on the release or reveal trailers before hefting their pitchforks. Don’t even know what will be changed and already stating who can’t be in the game.