Ubisoft was testing a Splinter Cell-style game before E3 2021

Splinter Cell is reportedly making a come back. Publisher Ubisoft has greenlit a new full-fledged sequel, according to Video Games Chronicle. While GamesBeat cannot confirm those exact details, they do line up with info we have about Ubisoft testing a potential Splinter Cell game over the summer.

Like many publishers, Ubisoft regularly runs testing sessions with consumers to get feedback on potential products. In the weeks before E3, Ubisoft had fans play the upcoming Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time Remake and something that had the appearance of a new Splinter Cell prototype.

The testers did not spend a lot of time with the possible Splinter Cell game. Ubisoft provided a vertical slice that was just a basic tutorial section. But this version of the game combined familiar Splinter Cell action with elements of the 2016 Hitman reboot.

This does not mean this is the same game that Ubisoft greenlit. The publisher is likely always testing and considering new possibilities for its upcoming games. And any eventual Splinter Cell release may look nothing like this secret prototype from early 2021.

But this does indicate that Ubisoft was actively investigating ways to bring the Splinter Cell series — or something like it — into the future. And the Hitman games are a good template for what modern stealth action can look like.

For Ubisoft, this is an opportunity to win over displeased Splinter Cell fans and the wider gaming audience. While the company has popular games, it looks like it is going through the motions while continuing to protect harassers and abusers within its ranks.

Revealing that a new Splinter Cell exists could help reset some feelings toward the company. Of course, that is only if Ubisoft follows through with addressing its toxic work environment.