With Pandora Tomorrow riding high in the charts and on reviewers" game-of-the-month lists, it wasn"t a question of whether there would be another Splinter Cell sequel, but when. Today, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, Ubisoft let gamers know they"ll be able to strap on Sam Fisher"s night-vision goggles by the year"s end.
In a statement, the publisher announced that Splinter Cell 3 (working title) is scheduled to ship in "late 2004" for the PC, with console dates to be announced soon. Unlike Pandora Tomorrow, which came out of Ubisoft Shanghai, Splinter Cell 3 is being developed in the company"s Montreal studio, where the first Splinter Cell was created.
While Pandora Tomorrow ran on the same engine as the first game in the series, Splinter Cell 3 will be based on "never-before-seen graphics technology," which will feature rag-doll physics, particle effects, and interactive environments. The revamped graphics will also give Fisher a new repertoire of deadly moves, including stealth-kill maneuvers like the inverted choke hold and combat knife techniques. There will also be weapons aplenty, including many prototype weapons.