It's been four years since the last Splinter Cell game was released, and things have been relatively quiet ever since. However, it appears that a new Sam Fisher adventure may be on the horizon thanks to evidence of a new trademark application for the franchise name.

A new application from Ubisoft has surfaced on the trademark listing website Justia, which shows that the studio has re-registered a new licence for the Splinter Cell brand. What makes this application particularly interesting is that it was filed only a few weeks ago, on May 15, suggesting that Ubisoft are gearing up for the reveal of a new Splinter Cell game very soon. Having said that, though, the filing only mentions the name Splinter Cell, suggesting that this hypothetical new game may not be a continuation of Sam Fisher's story but perhaps a reboot of the franchise.

The emergence of this application is the first sign of life for the franchise since rumors started going around last year that a new Splinter Cell game was in development, and that longtime Sam Fisher voice actor Michael Ironside will be back. Ubisoft have yet to comment on these rumors and this new application, but there are signs suggesting that perhaps now is the time for a new Sam Fisher adventure.

While Splinter Cell has been on ice for the past few years, the Tom Clancy brand has continued on under various guises, most recently with Ghost Recon: Wildlands. Given that Wildlands' launch has been 2017's biggest so far, not to mention the massive success of the previous Ubisoft game to bear the Tom Clancy name, The Division, it makes sense that the studio feels like it can continue this run of momentum by bringing Sam Fisher out of retirement.

Ubisoft has yet to confirm anything at the time of writing, but an announcement could be coming soon, maybe as soon as E3 2017. Last week saw the studio release its official E3 2017 trailer, which offered up a packed slate of confirmed games, unannounced titles, and new IP, and it won't be too surprising if one of those mysterious games turn out to be a brand new Splinter Cell title. It remains to be seen if a new Splinter Cell game of some kind is indeed in the works, but with Ubisoft's E3 2017 press conference less than a week away, perhaps we will get our answer very soon.

Source: Justia