Former XDefiant Executive Producer Refutes Splinter Cell Claim

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Mark Rubin, a former executive producer, addressed the recent rumors about a new Splinter Cell game, stating that the studio wasn’t actually developing one. While Ubisoft hasn’t released a Splinter Cell title in years despite strong fan demand, it seems a new game was closer to becoming a reality than many people thought.

In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Nick Herman, co-founder of AdHoc Studio, shared that he and several former Telltale Games developers previously worked at Ubisoft’s San Francisco office. While there, they were developing a new Splinter Cell game, but Ubisoft shifted its priorities towards games-as-a-service, ultimately leading to the project becoming the online shooter XDefiant. This news surprised many, including a former executive producer who remembers the situation differently.

Mark Rubin Pushes Back Against Splinter Cell Rumors

After reports surfaced suggesting a shift towards a new Splinter Cell game, former XDefiant executive producer Mark Rubin addressed the rumors online. He clarified that the team wasn’t developing a Splinter Cell project at all. Instead, they were working on a large-scale game that, unfortunately, wasn’t enjoyable. Once that project was cancelled, the team was able to propose new ideas, which eventually led to the creation of the online arena shooter, XDefiant.

Rubin suggests that before he joined, Nick Herman and others may have considered developing a new Splinter Cell game, but it never progressed at Ubisoft San Francisco. He also shared positive experiences working with Ubisoft’s management, noting their willingness to support the studio’s vision. However, he expressed regret that XDefiant wasn’t built using an engine from another company, as he believes this could have minimized the game’s bugs and problems.

Ultimately, the project didn’t work out as planned. Herman then created AdHoc studios and achieved success with the game Dispatch. Meanwhile, Rubin’s team had some initial success with XDefiant, but the game faced difficulties, leading to its cancellation and eventual closure.

Splinter Cell fans are still waiting for a new installment in the series, as it’s been a while since the release of Splinter Cell Blacklist. While Sam Fisher, the series’ main character, has made appearances in other Ubisoft games like Rainbow Six Siege and starred in a popular Netflix animated show, the announced Splinter Cell remake has faced numerous development hurdles since 2021, including changes in leadership and a lack of significant updates.

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2025-11-15 17:42