XDefiant

A new Splinter Cell game was in early development at Ubisoft in 2017 but was canceled after executives pushed for live-service elements, eventually evolving into the short-lived free-to-play shooter XDefiant. Former developer Nick Herman shared details in a Bloomberg interview, expressing initial excitement about revitalizing the stealth franchise dormant since 2013's Blacklist. The shift highlights Ubisoft's focus on games-as-a-service during that period.