Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is a series of action-adventure stealth video games and books that Tom Clancy supported. The series began in 2002 and follows Sam Fisher, a highly trained agent working for a fictional secret military unit within the NSA called "Third Echelon." The games focus on using light and darkness as key 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). An additional 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 currently being developed. Nine books related to the series have been published. An eight-episode audio drama titled Splinter Cell: Firewall began in December 2022, and an animated series called Splinter Cell: Deathwatch started on Netflix in October 2025.

The series was well-received and once considered 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. Microsoft Game Studios first released it for the Xbox as an exclusive game. 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 AI changes based on 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 plans to spread the smallpox virus. Fisher gains new abilities, such as SWAT turns and whistling to distract enemies. The game also introduced a new online mode called "spies versus mercenaries." In this mode, one team plays from a third-person view as spies, while the other plays from a first-person perspective as mercenaries.

Ubisoft Montreal and Ubisoft Milan created the third game, Chaos Theory. It added a cooperative multiplayer mode. Originally planned for Fall 2004, the game was released in March 2005. The Unreal Engine was modified again, this time from version 2.5. New features included a combat knife 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 critics pointing out issues with controls and multiplayer gameplay.

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

Conviction was announced on May 23, 2007, with a trailer. It was scheduled 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 pushed back to the 2009–10 fiscal year. At E3 2009, developers said the game had evolved significantly since 2008. The release date was delayed multiple times. A demo was released for Xbox 360 on March 18, 2010. Ubisoft wanted to make the game easier to play, so it focused on new mechanics like "Mark and Execute" and "Last Known Position." Stealth features from earlier games, such as whistling and hiding bodies, were removed. The game used a cover system and added simple interrogation scenes.

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, 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 secret unit called "Fourth Echelon," which reports directly to the U.S. President. Fourth Echelon works to stop a terror plot called the "Blacklist" and to end operations by Third Echelon. Returning features include a moving "Mark and Execute," 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.

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. However, the game was cancelled on July 21, 2022.

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

Novels

The first book in the Splinter Cell series is a novel based on the video game series. It was written by Raymond Benson 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 harm members of "Third Echelon," including Fisher. After being published in December 2004, the book was on the New York Times bestseller list for three weeks. It also appeared on the Wall Street Journal mass-market paperback bestseller list.

The second book, Operation Barracuda, was released on November 1, 2005. Raymond Benson again used the name David Michaels to write it. The book was also on the New York Times bestseller list.

Checkmate, published on November 7, 2006, was written by Grant Blackwood using the name David Michaels. Raymond Benson had said he was no longer writing Splinter Cell books. Unlike the first two books, Checkmate is not told from Sam Fisher's perspective, and it does not continue the storylines from the earlier books.

The book starts with a ship named Trego sailing toward the American East Coast. Sam Fisher is called in to stop the ship from releasing nuclear waste. After stopping the ship, Fisher learns that a town called Slipstone was attacked with a radiological weapon, killing over 5,000 people. These events lead Fisher to travel to Ukraine, Iran, Dubai, and Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

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

Conviction is a novel tied to the video 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 is on the run and is believed to be a traitor. He is pursued by a group of new Splinter Cell agents led by Ben Hansen.

Endgame, published on December 1, 2009, is the counterpart to Conviction. 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.

A tie-in novel published in October 2013 takes place after the events of the video game Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist. It involves Fisher and Fourth Echelon rescuing 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 dealing with a cyberwarfare technology called "Gordian Sword," which can bypass any firewall and will be sold to the highest bidder. Fisher must stop 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 includes Sam Fisher's daughter, Sarah, and Isaac Briggs working with Fisher. 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 group of special operations agents, such as Sam Fisher, who work alone and are supported by a high-tech team from a distance.

In the first three games (Splinter Cell, Pandora Tomorrow, Chaos Theory), terrorists plan attacks using information warfare, a method that involves using information to harm others. Sam Fisher, an agent for Third Echelon, a secret part of the NSA, must stop these attacks. His missions include gathering information, capturing, or eliminating terrorists.

In the fourth game, Double Agent, Fisher pretends to be a criminal to join a terrorist group.

The fifth game, Conviction, begins right after Double Agent. Fisher has left Third Echelon and learns that his daughter, Sarah, did not die in an accident, as previously believed. This discovery leads him to investigate on his own until he uncovers a secret within his old organization.

In the sixth and most recent game, Blacklist, Third Echelon has been shut down by the U.S. President. A new group, Fourth Echelon, is formed under Fisher’s leadership. His mission is to stop the "Blacklist" attacks and the group behind them, called the Engineers. Blacklist explores the moral choices Fisher and his team make 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 leader 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 with technical challenges. In Conviction, she takes over Lambert’s role as a guide. In Blacklist, she works with Fisher but disagrees with him about morality and rules.
• Sarah Fisher: Sam’s daughter and only family member. She was believed to have died in Double Agent, but Conviction reveals her death was not real.

The stealth feature of the game lets Fisher hide in the dark and avoid being seen. Guards can be killed using weapons, tools, 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 tricks to avoid guards. The first game only has a single-player mode. Pandora Tomorrow adds a two-player mode. Chaos Theory improves this mode and introduces a cooperative mode, where players work together to complete missions.

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

Conviction uses faster and more aggressive stealth gameplay than earlier games. It keeps the cooperative multiplayer mode from previous games. The weapons Sam Fisher uses are more realistic. Each weapon can be upgraded with features like a silencer, better sights, or stronger ammo. After defeating an enemy in hand-to-hand combat, the player can mark up to four targets and eliminate them quickly in a slow-motion sequence. Scenes where Fisher interrogates enemies for information only require the player to press a button. If Fisher is near objects like a TV or table, he can use them to change how the scene plays out.

Blacklist combines gameplay styles from all previous games into a system based on points. Players earn points to choose from three styles:
– Ghost: Requires complete stealth and no enemy deaths.
– Panther: Focuses on stealthy killing.
– Assault: Involves loud fights and using explosives.
Points can be used to buy weapons and tools that match 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. Mathieu Ferland, the series producer, stated that the first game was made to show the full abilities of Ubisoft's Montreal studio. After the release of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, developing a game focused on special operations became the next logical step for games supported by Tom Clancy's name.

The first game in the series changed the Unreal Engine to support gameplay that used light and darkness. Later games used newer versions of the same engine.

By the time the most recent game, Blacklist, was released, the engine had been updated to the LEAD engine, a significantly altered version of the Unreal Engine 2.5. In this game, shadows were not only used for visual effects but also to improve gameplay, especially for stealth elements. This required more programming work and meant that a powerful desktop computer was needed to achieve the best visual quality and performance on all consoles.

Reception

By the end of 2004, the Splinter Cell series had sold 9.6 million units. By October 2005, the series' global sales had exceeded 12.5 million units. By May 2008, the series had reached 19 million units sold. 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 by James Swallow. The series has eight episodes that follow the story of the book. The audio was recorded using binaural technology, which is best heard through headphones. 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 involved are 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 plans to create an anime series adaptation of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Firewall through Ubisoft Film & Television. Derek Kolstad, the writer of John Wick, was the 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.

A 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 stated that Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, and Assassin's Creed would all receive film adaptations. The company said it wanted to keep control over the films and work with studios on casting, budgeting, and scriptwriting. The following year, Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures were reported to be leading bids to make a Splinter Cell film. By November 2011, British actor Tom Hardy was cast as Sam Fisher, and Eric Warren Singer was hired as the screenwriter. By 2013, Ubisoft announced that New Regency would produce the film, with Basil Iwanyk as a producer through his company, Thunder Road Films.

In March 2014, Doug Liman joined the project as director, with Jean-Julien Baronnet and David Bartis as producers. 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 younger version of Sam Fisher. In October 2014, Iwanyk stated filming would start in early 2015.

In April 2015, Liman left the project, and Joseph Kahn was considered as a replacement. By July 2015, Frank John Hughes was hired to rewrite the script. In January 2017, Iwanyk confirmed the script was completed and sent to Hardy. The producer described the film as an "edgy" PG-13 action movie. However, on November 15, 2024, it was announced that the film project was cancelled due to challenges in meeting the desired script and budget standards.