Splinter Cell Remake Brings Back Original Game Director

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After a challenging development process, it looks like the remake of Splinter Cell is nearing completion with the return of David Grivel to Ubisoft Toronto. The remake, first announced three years ago, has faced several hurdles and seen some key team members leave the project, leading to mostly discouraging news for fans.

As a big fan, it’s been a little worrying to hear about all the changes in leadership during the development of this game. It sounds like it’s been a pretty bumpy ride! I’ve read they’re using Ubisoft’s Snowdrop engine, which is cool, and even though we haven’t heard much lately, people who are close to the project say it’s still moving forward. But honestly, I’m really relieved to hear they’ve got a dedicated game director now. Hopefully, this means things are finally getting back on track and we’ll get the Splinter Cell remake we’ve been waiting for!

Splinter Cell Remake Brings Back David Grivel

David Grivel, the former game director, has rejoined Ubisoft Toronto to work on the Splinter Cell remake. He announced his return on LinkedIn, saying he’s excited to be working with a team and on a project that are both personally meaningful to him. Grivel previously worked at the studio for 11 years.

Grivel’s career has seen some unexpected turns. He started working on the Splinter Cell remake in November 2021 but left the project in October 2022. He then joined Electronic Arts to contribute to Battlefield 6, but shortly after, the studio he was working at, Ridgeline Games, was closed down.

Image via Ubisoft

After a brief return to Ubisoft Toronto for a new, unannounced game, Grivel joined NetEase-backed studio Worlds Untold. Unfortunately, NetEase started selling off its studios, and Worlds Untold was shut down shortly after Grivel began working there. This unexpected turn of events brought him back to Ubisoft Toronto, where he’s now the game director for Splinter Cell.

Image via Ubisoft

Fans were eager for updates on this project, particularly after some online discussion about the franchise. Nick Herman, co-founder of AdHoc Studio and a former Telltale Games employee, shared that he and his team had started working on a new Splinter Cell game at Ubisoft’s San Francisco office before they opened their own studio. However, that plan was cancelled when Ubisoft decided to focus on XDefiant, a live-service arena shooter that ultimately failed. Shortly after this news surfaced, Mark Rubin, who previously led XDefiant‘s development, refuted the story, stating the team had been working on a project that, while ambitious, wasn’t enjoyable and was eventually cancelled.

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2025-12-02 17:36