Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is a series of action-adventure stealth games, with the first game released in 2002. The series also includes novels that were approved by Tom Clancy. The games follow Sam Fisher, a highly trained agent working for a fictional secret unit within the NSA called "Third Echelon." The player controls Sam Fisher as he completes missions and avoids enemies. The games use light and darkness as important parts of the gameplay.

There have been six main games in the series: Splinter Cell (2002), Pandora Tomorrow (2004), Chaos Theory (2005), Double Agent (2006), Conviction (2010), and Blacklist (2013). A game called Essentials, which was only available for the PlayStation Portable, was released in 2006. A remastered version of the first three games, called Classic Trilogy HD, was released for the PlayStation 3 in 2011. A remake of the first game is being developed. Nine novels related to the series have been published. An audio drama called Splinter Cell: Firewall began in December 2022, and an animated series called Splinter Cell: Deathwatch started on Netflix in October 2025.

The series has been well-received and was once one of Ubisoft's most important franchises. By 2008, the series had sold 19 million copies, and by 2016, it had sold 32 million copies.

Games

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell was created over two years by Ubisoft Montreal. It was first released as an exclusive game for the Xbox by Microsoft Game Studios. In 2003, Ubisoft made versions of the game for Microsoft Windows, Mac, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Game Boy Advance. The game was inspired by the Metal Gear series and used a modified version of the Unreal Engine 2, which allowed gameplay based on light and darkness.

Pandora Tomorrow was developed by Ubisoft Shanghai and Ubisoft Milan. It added multiplayer gameplay to the series. In single-player mode, the game’s artificial intelligence adjusts to match the player’s skill level. Unlike earlier games, which focused on information-based threats, Pandora Tomorrow’s story centers on biological warfare. An Indonesian terrorist group threatens to spread the smallpox virus. The character Fisher gains new abilities, such as SWAT turns and whistling to attract enemies. The game introduced a new online mode called "spies versus mercenaries," where one team plays from a third-person perspective and the other uses a first-person view.

Ubisoft Montreal and Ubisoft Milan developed the third game, Chaos Theory. It added a cooperative multiplayer mode. Originally planned for release in Fall 2004, it was released in March 2005. The Unreal Engine was modified again, this time from version 2.5. The game included a combat knife in the player’s inventory and more open maps with multiple ways to complete objectives.

Essentials expanded the Splinter Cell series to the PlayStation Portable. Through flashback missions, players learn more about Fisher’s past. The game received less positive reviews than earlier versions, with criticism about its controls and multiplayer mode.

For the fourth game, Double Agent, two versions were made: one for older consoles and the Wii, and another for Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, and PlayStation 3. The game introduced a "trust system" that gives players moral choices. It was the first game in the series to include a hub area where players could explore and complete objectives between missions. This game also had different endings based on player decisions, though only one ending was considered official.

Conviction was officially announced on May 23, 2007, with a trailer released by Ubisoft. It was planned for release on November 16, 2007, but was delayed. On May 19, 2008, Ubisoft said the game was "officially on hold" and would be reworked. The game was later pushed to the 2009–10 fiscal year. At E3 2009, developers said the game had evolved significantly in gameplay and visuals. The release date was delayed multiple times. A demo was released for Xbox 360 on March 18, 2010. Ubisoft designed Conviction to be more accessible, removing stealth features like whistling and hiding bodies. It used a cover system and added simple interrogation sequences.

In September 2011, a remastered version of the first three games was released for PlayStation 3. These versions were based on the original PC ports. The compilation received "mixed or average" reviews on Metacritic.

Blacklist, the sixth game in the series, was developed by Ubisoft Toronto and released on August 20, 2013. It combined gameplay elements from Chaos Theory and Conviction. Actor Eric Johnson replaced Michael Ironside as Sam Fisher. In the game, Fisher leads a new unit called "Fourth Echelon," which works directly for the U.S. president. The unit aims to stop a terror plot called the "Blacklist" and shut down operations by a previous unit called "Third Echelon." Features include a moving "Mark and Execute" system, Fisher’s goggles, a new knife called the Karambit, and the ability to perform stealth takedowns called "abductions."

At E3 2017, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said, "I can't say much about that. But, for sure, all the Clancy games are taken care of. It's just we have quite a lot on our plate at the moment…All the Clancy games are really coming along, so we are not forgetting Splinter Cell."

In May 2019, Ubisoft Creative Director Julian Gerighty announced on social media that a Splinter Cell game was in development. He mentioned working with Ubisoft Montreal’s Roman Campos-Oriola and executive producer Dan Hay. Ubisoft later denied this claim.

On September 16, 2020, Ubisoft announced a virtual reality version of the series for Oculus VR. It was to be developed by Red Storm Entertainment but was cancelled on July 21, 2022.

In December 2021, Ubisoft revealed plans to remake the first game. In October 2022, David Grivel, the game’s director, left Ubisoft. He returned to the company in December 2025 after briefly working on other projects.

Novels

Splinter Cell is the first book in a series of novels based on the Splinter Cell video game series. Raymond Benson wrote it using the name David Michaels. The story follows Sam Fisher as he investigates a terrorist group called "The Shadows" and an arms-dealing organization named "The Shop." Members of "The Shop" try to kill members of "Third Echelon," including Fisher. After it was published in December 2004, the book was on the New York Times list of bestsellers for three weeks. It also appeared on the Wall Street Journal list of top-selling paperback books.

Operation Barracuda, released on November 1, 2005, was written by Raymond Benson again using the name David Michaels. This book continued the story from the first Splinter Cell novel. It was also on the New York Times bestseller list.

For Checkmate, Grant Blackwood became the author using the name David Michaels. Raymond Benson said he was "finished with Splinter Cell." Unlike the first two books, Checkmate is not written from Sam Fisher's point of view, and it does not continue the ongoing storylines from the previous book. Checkmate was released on November 7, 2006.

The book begins with a ship called Trego sailing toward the American East Coast. Sam Fisher is called in from a training mission to stop the ship. After Fisher prevents the ship from releasing nuclear waste that could harm the American West Coast, he learns that a town named Slipstone was attacked with a radioactive weapon, killing more than 5,000 people. These events lead Fisher to investigate in Ukraine, Iran, Dubai, and Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

Fallout, published on November 6, 2007, was Grant Blackwood's second Splinter Cell novel and the fourth book in the series. Like the previous novel, it was written by Grant Blackwood using the name David Michaels. The story follows Sam Fisher as he works to stop Islamic fundamentalists who have taken control of the government in Kyrgyzstan.

Conviction is a book related to the game with the same name. It was published on November 3, 2009, and written by Peter Telep using the name David Michaels. It was published by Berkley Books, part of Penguin Group. The book follows Sam Fisher after the death of Lambert. Fisher goes into hiding and is believed to be a traitor. He is hunted by a team of new Splinter Cell agents led by Ben Hansen.

Endgame, published on December 1, 2009, is paired with the Conviction novel. The story happens at the same time as Conviction but is told from the perspective of Fisher's enemies, including Ben Hansen and his team.

Published in October 2013, this book is related to the video game Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist. It takes place after the events of the game and follows Fisher and Fourth Echelon as they rescue a Russian billionaire who disobeyed orders from the Kremlin to release a computer virus against the United States. Aftermath was written by Peter Telep and is the first book in the series not to use the name David Michaels.

Firewall was released on March 1 for Kindle and March 15 for paperback. It was written by James Swallow and features Sam Fisher's daughter, Sarah, working with her father. The story involves Fisher trying to stop a cyberwarfare technology called "Gordian Sword," which can break any firewall and will be sold to the highest bidder, no matter their intentions. Fisher must prevent the technology from falling into the hands of terrorists, criminals, or rogue states. The book won the Scribe Award for Best Original Novel.

Dragonfire was released on January 24 for Kindle and paperback. It was written by James Swallow and features Sam Fisher's daughter, Sarah, working with her father and Isaac Briggs. The story follows Fisher operating in North Korea while his daughter searches for him and tries to expose a secret plan by a group called "The Dragons."

Common elements

The first game explains that "Splinter Cell" refers to an elite special operations unit made up of single covert agents, such as Sam Fisher. These agents are supported in the field by a high-tech remote team.

In the first three games (Splinter Cell, Pandora Tomorrow, Chaos Theory), terrorists plan attacks using information warfare. Sam Fisher, an operative for Third Echelon, a secret branch of the NSA, must stop these attacks. His missions include gathering intelligence, capturing, or eliminating terrorists.

In the fourth game, Double Agent, Fisher takes on the identity of a wanted criminal to infiltrate a terrorist group.

The fifth game, Conviction, begins right after Double Agent. After leaving Third Echelon, Fisher learns that his daughter, Sarah, did not die in an accident as previously believed. This discovery leads him to investigate on his own, uncovering a conspiracy within his old agency.

In the sixth and most recent game, Blacklist, Third Echelon has been disbanded by the President of the United States. A new group, Fourth Echelon, is formed under Fisher’s command. His mission is to stop the 'Blacklist' attacks and the organization behind them, called the Engineers. Blacklist explores the morality of war and how far Fisher and his team will go to prevent these attacks.

The characters and Third Echelon were created by J. T. Petty. Key characters include:
– Sam Fisher, the main character of the series.
– Irving Lambert, the director of Third Echelon, who guides Fisher through missions until he is killed by Sam in Double Agent.
– Anna "Grim" Grímsdóttir, a hacker and analyst for Third Echelon who helps Fisher overcome technical challenges. In Conviction, she becomes the guide after Lambert’s death and later has conflicts with Fisher over morality in Blacklist.
– Sarah Fisher, Sam’s daughter and only family member. She was believed to have died in Double Agent, but Conviction reveals her death was a lie.

The stealth gameplay allows Fisher to hide in shadows and avoid detection. Guards can be killed using weapons, gadgets, or hand-to-hand combat. However, the best way to progress in the first three games is to stay hidden, choose less obvious paths, and use distractions to avoid guards. The first game only has a single-player mode. Pandora Tomorrow adds a two-player cooperative mode, and Chaos Theory expands this mode with a cooperative story that mirrors Fisher’s actions in single-player missions.

In Double Agent, Fisher receives conflicting orders from his superiors and terrorists. For example, terrorists might tell him to bomb a ship, while the NSA tells him to stop the bombing. Fisher must balance these orders without exposing his true identity. If he is seen using an NSA gadget, he loses the mission immediately.

Conviction uses faster and more aggressive stealth gameplay compared to earlier games. It keeps the cooperative multiplayer mode from previous games. The weapons Sam Fisher uses are based on real-world firearms. Each weapon can be upgraded with features like silencers, gun sights, or laser attachments. After completing a hand-to-hand kill, players earn a bonus that lets them mark multiple targets and eliminate them quickly in slow motion. Interactive scenes where Fisher interrogates enemies require only pressing a button. If Fisher is near objects like a television or table, he can use them to change the animation during interrogations.

Blacklist combines gameplay styles from earlier games into a point-based system. Players earn points for three styles:
– Ghost: Complete missions without being seen or killing enemies.
– Panther: Use stealth to kill enemies.
– Assault: Engage in loud battles and use explosives.
Points earned can be used to buy weapons and gear suited to each style. The game keeps the execution system from Conviction but allows players to mark up to three targets regardless of the weapon used.

Development and history

Although the series includes Tom Clancy's name, he was not involved in creating any of the games. According to Mathieu Ferland, the series producer, the first game was made to show the abilities of Ubisoft's Montreal studio. After Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, developing a game about special operations became the next logical step for games supported by Tom Clancy.

The first game in the series changed the Unreal Engine to support a gameplay style that uses light and dark. Later games used updated versions of the same engine.

By the time the latest game, Blacklist, was released, the engine had been upgraded to the LEAD engine, which is a highly modified version of the Unreal Engine 2.5. In this game, active shadows were used on all consoles not just for visual effects, but to help with stealth gameplay. This required more programming work and needed a powerful desktop computer to achieve the best quality and performance.

Reception

By the end of 2004, the Splinter Cell series had reached 9.6 million units sold. By October 2005, the series' global sales had exceeded 12.5 million units. By May 2008, the series had sold 19 million units. As of 2016, more than 32 million units had been sold.

Other media

A radio drama titled Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Firewall was released on December 2, 2022, by BBC Radio 4 Limelight. It was adapted by Sebastian Baczkiewicz and Paul Cornell from the novel of the same name by James Swallow. The eight-part series follows the story of the novel. It was recorded using binaural audio, a special sound recording that works best with headphones. The main voice actors include Andonis Anthony as Sam Fisher (replacing Michael Ironside, who previously voiced the character), as well as Will Poulter, Daisy Head, Rosalie Craig, Sacha Dhawan, and Nikesh Patel. Other actors in the series include Mihai Arsene, Olga Fedori, Rina Mahoney, Roger Ringrose, Riad Richie, David Hounslow, Tijan Sarr, Tom Kiteley, Joe Belham, Ali Gadema, Lloyd Thomas, and Charis Jardim-Hinds. The series won the Scribe Award for Best Audio Drama.

In late July 2020, Netflix announced that an anime series adaptation of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Firewall was being developed by Ubisoft Film & Television. Derek Kolstad, the writer of John Wick, served as an executive producer. The animation was created by Sun Creature Studio and Fost. The series premiered on Netflix on October 14, 2025. A second season is currently being made.

The film adaptation of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell was first announced as a special feature for Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory as early as 2005.

In 2011, Ubisoft announced plans to make film adaptations of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, and Assassin's Creed. The company stated it wanted to keep control over the films and work with studios to develop the projects, including planning for casting, budgeting, and writing the scripts. The following year, Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures were reported to be leading candidates to make a Splinter Cell film. By November 2011, British actor Tom Hardy was cast as Sam Fisher, and Eric Warren Singer was hired to write the script. By 2013, Ubisoft announced that New Regency would produce the film, with Basil Iwanyk signed as a producer through his company, Thunder Road Films.

In March 2014, Doug Liman joined the production as director, with Jean-Julien Baronnet and David Bartis as producers. Later that month, Sheldon Turner was added to the team to rewrite the script. Hardy told an interviewer that filming was expected to begin in August 2014. By June 2014, Liman said he and Hardy were working on the script, which would focus on a young Sam Fisher in his prime, not as an experienced spy as shown in the video games. In October 2014, Iwanyk said filming would start in early 2015.

In April 2015, Liman left the project, and reports said the studio was considering Joseph Kahn as his replacement. By July 2015, Ubisoft hired Frank John Hughes to rewrite the script. In January 2017, Iwanyk confirmed the script was completed and sent to Hardy. The producer explained the film would have its own style within the action genre and aim to be an "edgy" PG-13 movie. However, on November 15, 2024, it was announced that the film was cancelled due to challenges in meeting the desired quality for the script and budget.