“Following the recent announcement of the final phase of Ubisoft’s global cost-savings plan and the discontinuation of projects, Ubisoft Toronto will be reducing its workforce by 40 roles,” said the spokesperson. “This decision was not taken lightly and does not in any way reflect the talent, dedication, or contributions of the individuals affected. Our priority now is to support them through this transition with comprehensive severance packages and robust career placement assistance.”

“The Toronto studio continues development on the Splinter Cell game and serves as a co-development partner on Rainbow Six, along with supporting additional co-development projects.”

Ubisoft had announced its major organizational overhaul last month, and in the process, cancelled six projects, one of which was Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake. The title was joined by 5 unannounced other games in being cancelled. The cost-cutting measures have also involved the closure of two other Ubisoft studios – Halifax and Stockholm – and moving forward, the company is adopting a new structure that will revolve around five Creative Houses, each one being responsible for certain franchises, genres, and demographics.

A recent rumor has indicated that Ubisoft has also cancelled co-op shooter Pathfinder, which was previously known as Project U. An Assassin’s Creed game being made for mobiles, with plans for an eventual PC release, was also among those cancelled.

Since this major announcement, Ubisoft has been getting quite a bit of criticism from its France-based employees. Earlier this month, at least 1,200 employees kicked off a three-day strike in response to the cost-cutting. Solidaires Infomatique representative Marc Rutschlé noted that employees had been working under pressure, while also being understaffed, and had gone several years without pay rises.

“At this stage, it seems clear to us that Yves Guillemot has no knowledge or understanding of his company or its employees,” he said. “The company is continuing its cost reduction and layoff plan. Our teams are already working under pressure, often understaffed. After several years without pay rises (or very small increases), we understand that once again, employees will not receive a raise this year.”

The strike came shortly after Rutschlé, alongside fellow union representative Chakib Mataoui, called for the resignation of Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. The two called out the company for its blatant nepotism, pointing to Yves appointing his son Charlie as CEO of Vantage Studios, as well as the lack of diversity in top management.

“If you just put your white male friends in [those jobs], then you don’t promote any diversity or get any new opinions or ideas,” said Mataoui. “We are in a creative job. We need new ideas to come in to [help us] make great new games. But we don’t have that. We don’t have this mindset for creativity.”

2026 and possibly, 2027 are situated to be absolutely massive in terms of AAA game releases. Need I say more than GTA 6? Splinter Cell Remake has some murky waters to navigate, but if there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that it’s alive and preparing for the spotlight. So, why is Splinter Cell Remake taking so long and what do we currently know about the elusive project?

The developer officially unveiled the Splinter Cell Remake on December 15, 2021, positioning the studio behind Splinter Cell: Blacklist and Far Cry 6 (Toronto) as the head team. As of late 2025, that hasn’t changed. And as far as we know, it’s still being built “from the ground up” like other heavy-hitter remakes of the modern era. The Snowdrop engine is powering the remake, but little is known about project details other than some developer comments and recent leadership changes.

The most recent movement involves the return of the original project director, David Grivel. Grivel was the lead developer of the remake before leaving the developer in 2022. During his absence, the game was led by Andrea Schmoll, who departed in late 2025. The discourse around her departure was that the remake was yet another dead dev hell project under turmoil…until Grivel announced via LinkedIn about his return to the project lead chair. The developer has a history of rebooting troubled projects internally when they lose direction, so the worries aren’t unfounded, but the return of the original project lead is at least a good sign going forward.

Another potential bright spot for the remake is the use of the Snowdrop engine. The engine has its detractors, most notably aimed towards Star Wars Outlaws and how glitch-prone that game was at launch, but it seems tailor-made for Splinter Cell and it’s more linear nature. Snowdrop is known for its dense volumetric lighting, high-fidelity environments, and dynamic shadow systems. These are elements that can really make those dark oil refineries and embassy infiltrations pop. Sam Fisher’s world has always depended on darkness, contrast, and light manipulation, and Snowdrop’s real-time global illumination and shadow rendering should allow for reactive stealth and more gradual transitions between light levels. Series staples like shooting out lights or using night-vision goggles stand to gain significantly from Snowdrop’s lighting model.

Although the developer has never publicly confirmed a release window, insiders have repeatedly suggested 2026 as the earliest possibility, and that still seems likely given recent projections by Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson. The developer’s pipeline for 2026 and 2027 have been outlined through a report and Splinter Cell Remake is on there along with a Rayman Remake, Assassin’s Creed Hexe, and new Far Cry and Ghost Recon games.

Though, let’s be realistic here. 2025 is nearing its end and the remake still has no gameplay reveal. A 2026 launch is optimistic at best. However, scarce marketing leading to an imminent release aren’t unprecedented. After all, Oblivion Remastered shadow dropped with no lead-up earlier in the year. Sure, it wasn’t a full-on remake, but wasn’t exactly insubstantial with its additions and overhauls either. Still, with little to no development updates, no gameplay, and not a peep of marketing, 2026 still seems like a stretch for Splinter Cell Remake.

Speaking of the gameplay, what do we know? Well, since the initial announcement video in 2021, the developer has shown no gameplay whatsoever, not even a brief in-engine demonstration. As we revealed previously, as part of Splinter Cell’s 20 year anniversary in 2022, some concept art images were shown, but that’s it. The absence is increasingly unusual given how long the project has been in development, though not unprecedented for remakes that undergo leadership changes.

One persistent rumor early in development suggested the game might shift toward an open-world structure similar to Halo Infinite, something we originally reported. Thankfully, this rumor has been shut down by Producer Matt West who stated that it will be linear. The Splinter Cell Remake will be linear, not open world, preserving the deliberate pacing and stealth-focused mission design of the original.

The creative team has assured fans that the cat-and-mouse slow burn gameplay is a alive and well, and actually improved thanks to advancements in AI enemy behaviors. The feel of those early Splinter Cell titles is intentionally being kept, with strength coming not from might but Sam’s gadgets and cunning planning. What I’m excited about is the delightful dark humor characteristic with the many interrogations Sam Fisher engages in. The facial expressions will be leaps and bounds above what the original could do. I’m just hoping that Michael Ironside voices Sam, although that’s not guaranteed.

On the narrative front, there has been no updates. As previously reported, the developer has been quiet since 2022 when a scriptwriter job posting revealed the first meaningful update. The job posting revealed that the first Splinter Cell is being used as a ‘foundation’ and that rewrites and updates are happening to the story. Further fanning the flames are remarks that Splinter Cell Remake’s story is being updated for ‘a modern-day audience’. These comments were posted years ago, but without further clarification, we can assume that vision remains today.

The 2022 posting also assures fans that, “We want to keep the spirit and themes of the original game while exploring our characters and the world to make them more authentic and believable.”

This implies that the Georgia-focused plot and Sam Fisher’s search for missing operatives are staying in some form, but the script will likely adjust the context and realism a tad. I wouldn’t be surprised to see drone warfare and contemporary surveillance tech being used as a reinterpretation of the original’s espionage setup. I just hope the characters aren’t modernized in a self-insert kind of manner.

Unlike remasters, fully modern remakes take time, for example, Final Fantasy VII Remake took 5 years. Like that, Splinter Cell Remake is being crafted from the ground-up using a new engine and modern techniques. This means all the environments, lighting systems, AI, gadgets, animations, and cinematics have to be built from scratch. No prior assets or foundation (like Oblivion Remastered had with its underlying 2006 engine).

And then there’s the company itself. Their corporate environment has shifted dramatically over the past year. The company’s restructuring and its broad partnership with Tencent in 2025 led to numerous cancellations, team reallocations, and internal game of musical chairs. Projects across Montreal, Toronto (the team behind Splinter Cell), and Massive were affected. Leadership shifts on Splinter Cell likely caused resets or reworks to multiple systems.

As 2025 winds down, the Splinter Cell Remake remains hidden out of sight. It’s a quietly active project with a returning team lead, but still has no marketing push at all. Despite leadership turnover and long silences, the project continues to move forward inside Toronto, supported by an engine that seems perfectly suited for the espionage fans have come to expect from the series.

If the 2026 to 2027 release projections are to be believed, perhaps we’ll see Splinter Cell Remake at a Forward event or a summer showcase. Until then, Splinter Cell exists exactly where Sam Fisher is most comfortable: in the dark, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

“I am very, VERY happy to announce that I’m rejoining Ubisoft Toronto as Game Director on the Splinter Cell remake,” wrote Grivel. “A very special team and project to me.”

It is worth noting that Grivel had spent quite some time at Ubisoft previously in the same position – as game director on the Splinter Cell remake. His LinkedIn profile confirms that he had been working on the project for a year starting on November 2021 until October 2022. At this point, he would leave the company and joined EA to work on Battlefield 6 as its senior design director for the campaign until March 2024.

Interestingly, following this stint at EA, Grivel had worked as game director at Ubisoft Toronto for 8 months in 2024, with his responsibility being noted as offering “design direction for an unannounced project in conception phase.” His current return to Ubisoft comes after a few stints as a freelancer with other companies.

Ubisoft is yet to confirm any real details about the Splinter Cell remake. However, there have been quite a few rumours and other reports that indicate that the title’s development has been going strong. Back in May, Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson noted that he had heard that the Splinter Cell remake looks “genuinely impressive”. His statement came in light of Ubisoft itself teasing an official announcement at the time.

A report from back in October 2024 had indicated that the Splinter Cell remake was on track to be released some time in 2026. More recently, Ubisoft’s recent earnings report indicated that it had four major releases planned for the coming year. These included Rainbow Six Siege Mobile and The Division Resurgence for mobile platforms, and the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake and an unannounced other title for PC and consoles.

As previous reports have noted, this unannounced title has a good chance of being the Splinter Cell remake. According to Insider Gaming’s Mike Straw, the company plans to release the remake in the second half of 2026.

“Splinter Cell, the remake, from what we’ve seen and what I’ve seen looks good,” he said. “It’s still coming, still cruising right along. The last official release window report we had was that they were planning to launch it in the second half of 2026.”

The last major release in the Splinter Cell franchise was Splinter Cell: Blacklist, which came out all the way back in 2013. Blacklist was the sixth mainline release in the franchise, with the original having come out all the way back in 2002. The series has also seen spin-offs for portable platforms, from the Game Boy Advance back in 2002 to 2011’s Splinter Cell 3D for the Nintendo 3DS.

The publisher officially confirmed the next Ghost Recon is in development, but a release window remains unknown. Internally, an alpha is planned for this Fall, and if everything goes according to plan, it could launch next year. Splinter Cell Remake hasn’t received many updates, but rumors from last year indicate a potential 2026 release. As for Assassin’s Creed Hexe, it was previously alleged to launch after support wraps for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Of course, that’s not all, as Ubisoft allegedly has the next mainline Far Cry (Project Blackbird) and an extraction shooter spin-off (Project Maverick) in development. There’s also the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake, which the publisher said would launch before the fiscal year ends; Project Alterra, an “Animal Crossing-esque” game; Project Crest, an extraction shooter in World War 2; and Beyond Good and Evil 2.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Remake and Assassin’s Creed Invictus are currently “up in the air” with regards to release dates. Tom Clancy’s The Division 3, the next Crew, and “multiple other mainline and smaller Assassin’s Creed experiences” are planned for “beyond 2027.” Regardless, the next two years should feel fairly packed. Stay tuned for updates and potential reveals in the coming months.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater set the internet ablaze with hype and anticipation when it was announced, and while some snippets of the gameplay have been revealed already – we are still waiting for sort of a launch trailer or a gameplay deep dive before we reach its imminent release date of August 28.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Between the B.T. Kaijus duking it out, whatever Higgs has going on and all the deliveries, it’s easy to forget that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach features a robust stealth system. It’s somewhat hard to notice between the increased gunplay, but you’ll still have to carefully walk about areas infested with B.T.s and avoid getting caught. We’re also hoping for more non-lethal options and witnessing how dynamic weather impacts strategies (like a sandstorm obscuring enemy detection radius).

And regardless if the story makes as much sense as the original or not, you just know it’s going to be a journey unlike any other when it launches on June 26th for PS5.

In a statement provided to PC Gamer, Ubisoft Toronto stated that it was reducing jobs in order to streamline itself and be in a better position to “deliver on its ambitious roadmap”.

“Ubisoft Toronto has decided to conduct a targeted realignment to ensure it can deliver on its ambitious roadmap,” a representative said. “Unfortunately, this will impact the roles of 33 team members who will be leaving Ubisoft. We are committed to providing comprehensive support to them, including severance and career assistance, to help through this transition.”

Ubisoft Toronto is currently serving as the lead developer on a remake of the original Splinter Cell. Additionally, earlier this month, it was announced that the studio would be providing development support on the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake, which is due out in 2026. Ubisoft says work on both projects will remain unaffected by the layoffs.

“Our plan remains unchanged, and our teams are working to deliver on the Splinter Cell remake and other projects at the studio,” the company says.

This isn’t the first time Ubisoft has been hit with layoffs this year. In April, the company announced that it was reorganizing its Global Publishing and APAC divisions, resulting in the loss of 45 jobs.

Silent Hill 2 Remake Release Date

Whether it’s posters allegedly showing up in GameStop, the ESRB rating the title or Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb reporting an appearance at the rumored PlayStation Showcase and The Snitch seemingly corroborating, Silent Hill 2’s time is nigh. Bloober Team’s remake could get new gameplay and a release date, with CEO Piotr Babieno outright saying last month that the latter is happening “soon”. Based on all the evidence, launching this Fall or Winter wouldn’t be surprising. Perhaps in time for the constantly rumored…

PS5 Pro Reveal

With nearly everything about it leaked save for the design and price, it’s almost a given that Sony could finally unveil the PS5 Pro. The release window is still a bit iffy – Grubb reported a September 2024 release, while Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson indicated a Holiday launch, potentially slipping due to the lack of big first-party titles before claiming a Fall release window. Either way, with an alleged 28 percent more memory bandwidth, 33.5 TFLOPs GPU and support for Sony’s new supersampling tech, it could make a splash if Silent Hill 2 remake is a showcase title. As for when it could be announced, the PlayStation Showcase makes sense, but it could very well be at the Sony Corporate Group Meeting occurring soon.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Release Date and New Gameplay

Along with the Silent Hill 2 remake, PlayStation did this wonderful thing in January, where it outright said Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is coming in 2024. There’s been no denial from Konami nor acceptance, only the assurance last March that development is going well, thank you for asking, etc. However, it also promised an upcoming video presentation with “bigger announcements.” What better time than this Summer to provide an updated gameplay reveal and release date?

Ghost of Tsushima 2 Announcement

There have been some rumors about Ghost of Tsushima 2, though nothing as of late as we approach Sony’s alleged PlayStation Showcase this month. Nevertheless, the time feels ripe, with Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut available on PC and the movie (directed by Chad Stahelski of John Wick fame) coming up. If it happens, expect limited to no gameplay and a potential release window in 2025.

Next Astro Bot Reveal

Of course, the other possible reveal is the next Astro Bot game. Team Asobi has been quiet since announcing work on its “most ambitious game yet”, and Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb reports that the new title could finally release this year (though he clubbed it in with Sony’s “smaller first-party titles”). The Snitch would seemingly corroborate its appearance at the next PlayStation Showcase, whenever it may be, so it could very well be Astro’s big break, especially with Sony not releasing any new titles for its bigger first-party franchises until April 2025 onwards.

God of War Ragnarok PC Announcement

Another seemingly inevitable announcement is God of War Ragnarok coming to PC. The rumor comes from none other than Dealabs’ billbil-kun, who has an impeccable record with leaks. They outright said an announcement is coming this month, adding more fire to rumors of a PlayStation Showcase this month. Regardless, given Sony’s habit of launching first-party titles on PC a few years after their PlayStation debuts, it would be surprising to see it out in 2024. Fingers crossed and whatnot.

Gears 6 Announcement

Speaking of “right timing,” Microsoft announcing the next Gears of War at its Xbox Games Showcase would be ideal in many ways. Fortunately, Grubb reported something happening this Summer with Gears 6. The Verge’s Tom Warren agreed and then outright said in a later report that there would be an announcement at the show. If that’s not enough, the voice of JD Fenix, actor Liam McIntyre, said on Twitter that Microsoft and The Coalition will “tell us all in June” regarding certain story spoilers.

Perfect Dark Gameplay Reveal

The Xbox Games Showcase could also mark an appearance for Perfect Dark. Announced in 2020 with nary a bit of gameplay or details since and plenty of concerning rumors and reports, insider Nate the Hate “fully expects” it to appear at the showcase (with Grubb also hearing that it could show up). That would fit with Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty being “cautiously confident” in June 2023 about a gameplay deep dive arriving by late 2024.

State of Decay 3 Gameplay Reveal

The other title potentially getting a deep dive is State of Decay 3, Undead Labs’ next chapter in the survival sandbox zombie series. Also announced in 2020 with little to no updates in terms of gameplay since, its developer saw allegations of negligence in 2022, which reportedly affected development. Nevertheless, Jez Corden of Windows Central remarked recently that it’s coming along quite well, so perhaps we’ll finally see an update at the Xbox showcase.

Game Pass Price Hike Announcement

Another more unfortunate rumor doing the rounds is that of Game Pass getting a price hike. The Verge’s Tom Warren reported on it. Xbox president Sarah Bond would then confirm Activision’s titles coming to the service on day one. Even more rumors surfaced afterwards, with insider NateDrake claiming that new tiers are coming. There will also allegedly be changes in “the form of pricing and a tier change.” Regardless of those plans, a Game Pass price increase seems inevitable, especially given how subscriber counts haven’t been soaring lately.

Hollow Knight: Silksong Release Date Announcement

The best part about so many upcoming events is that Hollow Knight: Silksong could appear at almost anyone. That ups the chances of a potential new trailer and maybe a release date announcement. Does that mean multiple chances to be disappointed as well? Sure, but with the title rated in South Korea, Australia and the US, it would be weird to get nothing in return. Either way, it’s been over five years since the announcement trailer, Team Cherry. Just…please, anything.

Borderlands 4 Reveal

2K Games confirmed that Borderlands 4 was in active development after Gearbox’s acquisition by Take-Two but rumors were already claiming that it saw a shake-up in leadership. The publishing label confirmed a reveal for the “next iteration” in one of its “biggest and most beloved franchises” at Summer Game Fest. Potential Borderlands 4 announcement and gameplay? It would be the safe bet, for sure.

Mafia 4 Announcement

However, there’s also a chance it could be Hanger 13’s long-rumored Mafia 4. Leaker Kurakasis claimed last month that Take-Two had begun “preparations for an announcement regarding the Mafia series.” Allegedly developed on Unreal Engine 5 and serving as a prequel to the series with Don Salieri as the protagonist, it could be the big reveal for Summer Game Fest.

Sonic X Shadow Generations Announcement

Sega is confirmed as a partner for Summer Game Fest, and while there’s plenty it could discuss, news on Sonic X Shadow Generations seems likely. The remaster, features a new campaign starring Shadow the Hedgehog. A new trailer and release date seems likely.

Sonic Heroes Remake Announcement

While Sonic X Shadow Generations may be the main attraction, Sega could announce another remake in the series. According to Nintendo Universe, it’s Sonic Heroes, allegedly developed on Unreal Engine 5 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. Whether Summer Game Fest is the place or not, it would garner the most attention.

Metro 4 Reveal

While a prequel to Metro 2033 sounds great, some fans were doubtless disappointed that Metro Awakening is a VR-exclusive title. Perhaps to quell some of that, publisher Deep Silver confirmed that “development continues separately at 4A Games on the next mainline installment of the Metro series.” Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson reported last year in February that it was “well into development” and “fully playable.” Even if Deep Silver reveals the release date for Awakening at Summer Game Fest (where it’s a partner), it wouldn’t be odd to see Metro 4 get a short teaser.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gameplay Reveal

The developer has confirmed updates on its major releases for this year, including Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Star Wars Outlaws. With pre-orders and various details for the former out in the wild, it seems a given that there will be a gameplay showcase. If coincidence isn’t enough, Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson outright reported this would be the case, with hands-on impressions going live on June 12th.

Valve’s Deadlock

Between all the leaked screenshots, gameplay and details, it feels like Valve is gearing up to announce Deadlock. The alleged 6v6 hero shooter is in the alpha stage and features 19 characters, with the usual MOBA roles of tanks, healers and damage dealers. While no release windows have circulated, there’s every possibility that Valve drops the announcement out of nowhere and opens up registrations for a closed alpha.

Monster Hunter Wilds – New Gameplay and Release Window

When discussing predictions, Monster Hunter Wilds getting some gameplay and a possible release window is probably the safest bet. The developer already confirmed new details this Summer, and as a partner at Summer Game Fest, it only makes sense to at least provide a trailer. It could then tout more information at the next Showcase or a Monster Hunter Wilds Digital Event later in June. It makes too much sense not to happen.

Kingdom Hearts 4 New Trailer

As odd as it seems, Kingdom Hearts 4 could appear in the upcoming Summer showcases, though which one is the question. Leaker Daniel Richtman recently revealed that it would launch sometime next year. If that’s the case, an upcoming reveal doesn’t sound too far fetched, especially with the Kingdom Hearts series recently becoming available on Steam.

Wonder Woman Update

Among the many publishers confirmed for the Summer Game Fest is WB Games. We haven’t heard anything about Monolith Productions’ Wonder Woman since December 2021 – outside of the publisher denying it’s a live-service title and a job listing for WB Games Montreal revealing that it’s supporting development. Perhaps this year’s showcase could finally be the time, especially if Warner Bros. Discovery wants a big release for the fiscal year.

Starfield: Shattered Space Reveal and Release Date

Starfield’s first paid expansion, Shattered Space, was already confirmed to launch this year and receive new details. However, The Verge’s Tom Warren reported that it would not only appear at the Xbox Games Showcase but receive a release date (allegedly for September). Redditors also spotted references in its May update video to House Var’uun, a faction that didn’t appear in the base game but whom one of your companions follows. Whatever its nature, expect it to appear all the same.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Release Date

Likewise, there’s Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Microsoft’s next big first-party title coming this year. MachineGames’ action-adventure is reportedly launching in December, per The Verge, so some new gameplay and an announcement at the Xbox Games Showcase seems a given.

Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra Trailer

This one’s a bit of a wildcard, not only because Skydance New Media showcased in-game scenes during the State of Unreal at GDC in March, but also because it has a 2025 release window. The developer isn’t listed for Summer Game Fest, though the next round of partners could contain its name. If so, perhaps there will be gameplay and the announcement of platforms.

New Xbox Hardware Announcement

Other first-party games allegedly coming to PS5, potential Game Pass price hikes – Microsoft has a lot on its plate, rumors-wise. However, one confirmed bit is that it will unveil “some exciting stuff coming out in hardware.” It’s unlikely to be the next Xbox, which Microsoft touts as delivering “the largest technical leap” in a generation, but maybe it’s the rumored mid-gen refresh leaked in documents during its FTC trial. Perhaps it’s the new all-digital white Xbox Series X, whose images have been circulating. Whatever it may be, an announcement at the Xbox Games Showcase would make sense.

Crimson Desert New Trailer and Release Window

Remember Crimson Desert, Black Desert developer Pearl Abyss’s ambitious single-player action RPG? It seems that development is complete, and marketing reportedly will kick off in the coming months, per leaker Lunatic Ignus. Targeting a Q1 2025 release, there’s every chance it could appear at Summer Game Fest, especially since its first trailer was at The Game Awards 2020.

Resident Evil 9 Announcement

Pragmata may be in limbo, but it could be gearing up to reveal the next mainline Resident Evil. Reportedly launching in January 2025 per leaker Dusk Golem, it allegedly has the series’ largest development time frame and budget. None of that will stop it from being a monster success, and though it could be unveiled at Summer Game Fest, it wouldn’t be remiss to see it appear during Sony’s rumored PlayStation Showcase.

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf Gameplay and Release Date

BioWare and Electronic Arts confirmed a full reveal for Dragon Age: Dreadwolf in Summer 2024, and based on reports by Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb, a new trailer could drop around Summer Game Fest. Even more interestingly, it’s seemingly launching this year. The publisher revealed recently that it has two “unannounced” titles releasing this fiscal year, with Grubb noting that Dreadwolf is one of them. Whether it arrives this year remains to be seen. For now, we just want to see some extended gameplay.

Splinter Cell Remake Update

Announced in 2021, Splinter Cell remake could be due for…something at Forward. There’s not much to go on, save for the developer changing its Facebook page header and profile picture to Sam Fisher’s signature NV goggles, but you never know. As for the nature of the reveal, your guess is as good as ours.

New Ghost Recon Reveal

Then there’s the next Ghost Recon, rumored way back in 2022 and allegedly launching in 2025 or 2026. Codenamed Project Over, it’s reportedly a first-person shooter, per Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson. If the Splinter Cell remake could get an update at Forward, the next Ghost Recon seems just as possible.

As per Henderson, who claims that Star Wars Outlaws will launch in the first half of this year, with Assassin’s Creed Codename Red following in the second half, the 2025-26 period will see the release of several other major Ubisoft titles. Chief among them is allegedly going to be the Splinter Cell remake, which was officially confirmed to be in development back in December 2021.

Henderson claims that a new mainline Ghost Recon title, which first emerged in rumours nearly two years ago, is also planned for the same two-year window. It’s claimed that the game will be set during the fictional Naiman War, and is being developed under the codename Project Over. Meanwhile, the report mentions a few other major releases lined up for the 2025-26 period, including the likes of Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe, the multiplayer-focused Assassin’s Creed Invictus, and two new Far Cry games, one of which will be a mainline entry, and the other an extraction shooter spinoff.

How long it’ll be before Ubisoft begins sharing official details on the games it has in the pipeline for beyond 2024 remains to be seen.

Of course, between all the headlines and controversies, the conversations about the best games and what we can look forward to in 2024, there are several games which we’ve heard very little about. We’re talking about the games that made a splash after being announced and seemingly vanished into the ether with very little follow-up information.

Bloober Team’s remake of Silent Hill 2 had a big reveal last year after seemingly endless rumors about the franchise’s future. However, the updates have been muted in 2023, to the extent that the developer had to reassure fans that it’s still in development, definitely not cancelled and that Konami is the publisher and thus the one to reveal more information. Then there’s Hollow Knight: Silksong, Team Cherry’s long-awaited sequel to its 2017 masterpiece, announced in 2019 and recently delayed past the first half of the year to an unknown date.

By comparison, publisher’s announcement of the Splinter Cell Remake isn’t that old…right? Then you remember that it was announced in 2021 after years of cameos by Sam Fisher in other titles, as many wondered when a sequel would be released. It was after the publisher’s constant explanations about its absence, especially considering the last major title was Splinter Cell: Blacklist in 2013.

With 2023 almost over and very few updates, it feels like a good time to ask: Where is the Splinter Cell Remake?

The last major update saw creative director Chris Auty outlining the team’s plan to make the entire game playable without requiring the player to kill anyone. It’s also scaling back on the whole “trigger an alarm three times and fail” condition in missions, which is what Chaos Theory did anyway. Plus, it wants to offer more ways to “de-escalate” situations and improve the “minute-to-minute stealth gameplay” that made the original so special. All of these are admittedly noble goals.

It’s worth noting in the initial announcement that the Toronto branch, which is in charge of the project, said it was in “the very earliest stages of development.” The “remake” term is fully applicable here, as the original is being built from the ground up in Snowdrop Engine. However, the development team is brand new, with the studio hiring balancing newcomers with new ideas with the veterans already present.

While it makes sense, it also takes time. Maintaining the essence of what makes Splinter Cell so great is one thing. Updating it for a modern audience using new technology while refining the entire experience to support a non-lethal playstyle? While also providing new means to play and probably some new content on top of everything else, but maintaining the feel of the original? That’s not to mention an “updated story for the modern-day audience”, per a job listing from last year, which could mean creating new story beats and scenes.

Cut to 2022, with the developer revealing new concept art for the remake, featuring familiar locations. Auty confirmed that the title is still “very early in production” and the team is “still prototyping.” It doesn’t want to rush anything and is currently set on ensuring it “absolutely nails the game” and does “everything in the right way” to produce a great experience for fans. He also confirmed that the team would be “going dark for a little” to focus on “making the absolute best game possible.”

So that explains the relative lack of new details. It’s probably amazing that we even got the update earlier this year.

As much as some people like to clown on remakes and how they shouldn’t be nominated for awards, there’s no denying that they take a lot of work. This year’s remake of Dead Space was announced in July 2021 and initially set to launch in late 2022 before Electronic Arts delayed it to January 2023 for the sake of more polish. The acclaimed remake of Resident Evil 2, which has inspired so many other studios to develop high-quality remakes, was first announced in August 2015 and wouldn’t be released until January 2019.

Other rumors discussing revamps and other changes would circulate for years. So when you hear that prototyping for the Splinter Cell Remake is ongoing, assume nothing is final or locked down. Until that happens, which also takes time, we’ll have to wait.

Game development requiring time, resources, and some luck is only one part of the equation in this case. That’s because of publisher’s part in everything. In December 2021, it was initially scoping the next Splinter Cell to be an open-world title with a scale similar to Halo Infinite.

Whether that’s still happening is unknown, especially with all the projects it’s cancelled in the past few years, like Ghost Recon Frontline, Project Q and even a rumor Splinter Cell battle royale. Some of these projects were pretty far along, but the publisher decided to cancel them anyway, perhaps due to market saturation in the case of the multiplayer games.

It isn’t to say the same fate could befall the Splinter Cell Remake. With how much thought and care has gone into assembling the development team, let alone the approach to honoring the original’s gameplay while modernizing its themes, it’s hard to believe that publisher would drop it just like that. After all, a smaller-scale stealth title may be what it needs.

However, you can never be sure, especially in a year with so many layoffs and a company with more misses than hits in recent times. Things are always in flux. You would hope publisher understands the importance of its IP and nurturing games that fans will care about. Then again, this is also the same publisher rumored last July to have 11 titles in development.

As much as some developers want to revisit your favorite franchises, those at the top of the company are motivated by profit and what sells, though that also hasn’t stopped publisher from sinking money into Skull and Bones to keep it alive long enough to delay it again for some messed up reason.

There’s still much that can go wrong, but you could say the same for any video game project in early development. Some of its new ideas may not work. It may have performance issues, especially with what the team wants to do in Snowdrop. It may be unenjoyable and require further changes (if not a complete overhaul). Such are the challenges that a development team faces daily. Here’s hoping that the Splinter Cell Remake reaches that point and begins the journey to success with the least hangups.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.