This just hasn't been Ubisoft's week. The French-Canadian publisher had a rough-and-tumble start of the week with a delay to both their multiplayer next-gen games, The Crew and Watch Dogs. In addition to the delays, both Rayman and Splinter Cell: Blacklist failed to meet their respective sales based on internal estimates.

GamesIndustry.biz rolled out all the negative news for Ubisoft, as one of the major players in the AAA market got hit with a one-two jab combo followed by a right hook and an uppercut for a near knockout.

The stock for Ubisoft fell a drastic 22 percent following all kinds of horrible news for the company, putting the public offering at around $2.27. This was sparked mostly by the fact that Watch Dogs and The Crew are now fiscal 2015 members. Although, from a public company's standpoint, this makes a lot of sense given that Ubisoft's fall line-up was especially crowded for 2013 and a few of their games would have been cannibalized in sales.

It's unlikely people would have bough Assassin's Creed IV and Watch Dogs within a week of each other while games like Battlefield 4, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Need for Speed, KillZone: Shadow Fall and Dead Rising 3 were all dropping around the same time. Delaying a few heavy hitters makes complete sense as well as gives Ubisoft something to pad their first-quarter sales period with on the sheets, which otherwise would have been completely blank for as far it was set before Watch Dogs and The Crew were delayed.

While there's some sort of explanation that can be passed off on the delays for the aforementioned next-gen games from Ubisoft, there's no excuse for the poor sales of Rayman and Splinter Cell. However, there are reasonable explanations as to why both games failed.

According to CVG, both titles underperformed on the market at their release. Rayman Legends was on the receiving end of a major delay, from which it was supposed to have released earlier this year as a timed exclusive for the Wii U. However, Ubisoft felt that Rayman Legends would make more money as a multiplatform title that released simultaneously for all systems instead of just the Wii U, to which they felt wasn't a strong enough contender to carry the title during their quarter at the beginning of the year.

Nevertheless, dodging the Wii U may have helped lead to Rayman's downfall, as many Wii U owners (and potential Wii U owners) felt the game wasn't worth it so close to the release of GTA V and that if the game wasn't exclusive to the Wii U, then why bother?

Ubisoft treating the Wii U the way they treated PC gamers is not how you grow a business. The cash-in tactic backfired... badly.

As for Splinter Cell: Blacklist... well, it was OBVIOUS why this game wasn't going to move units. A lot of the fanbase had become disillusioned to the marketing tactics and realized that the game was designed to cash-in on the Call of Duty crowd. The nonsensical time-line of the story and character fused with over-the-top action and Hollywood set pieces really put die-hard fans off of Blacklist. A shame really, because it could have been a nice niche stealth title to bolster the genre, but it looks like stealth-fans will have to wait for Metal Gear Solid 5 instead.

There's still hope for Ubisoft, but they really need to button down the hatch and not try to make every game an AAA blockbuster that needs to sell five million or more units its first month out. More hard knocks and tough falls for the AAA business, I guess.

Tomorrow is Tuesday, a special time of the week for anyone gaming on a PlayStation platform as it marks the latest and greatest releases for games, DLC, this, that and the other. It’s a pretty awesome week all around, featuring a gang leader turned president turned super hero, diving, kicking, alien conspiracies and an army of Disney characters.

It’s probably safe to say that whatever small version of a summer drought was upon us these past few weeks has officially given way to the fall season rainstorms of new content. Fresh games are making their way en masse to just about every platform on the market, including the PlayStation 3 and Vita. This week’s The Drop is a pretty hefty one, featuring highly anticipated titles for mature gamers and youngsters alike.

We begin with one of the most anticipated action games of 2013, Saints Row IV. After Saints Row: The Third, it was hard to imagine how a future installment could possibly raise the bar any higher. The series has become known for its over-the-top content, goofy characters, surprisingly decent stories and ridiculously fun gameplay. For SRIV, it turns out that it is, in fact, possible to cram even more awesomeness into the package, including super powers and a mother-freaking Dubstep gun. Along with the physical version of the game, a digital version will be hitting the PlayStation Network sometime this Tuesday.

If you like shooting aliens and/or terrorists, then you’ll be happy to know that two additional action games will be available on PSN day and date with their physical counterparts this week, including The Bureau: XCOM Declassified and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist. The Bureau will take you back to the roots of the legendary alien-busting organization while Blacklist will see the Splinter Cell series return to its roots in a slightly different way; revitalizing the series’ stealth-heavy gameplay.

The latest in family-friendly entertainment is also being launched this week in the form of Disney Infinity. If you’ve ever seen Skylanders in action, then you have the basic idea of what to expect out of Infinity. Players can place collectable figures on the Infinity portal to see said character transported into the game world. The game features oodles of characters from Disney series new and old, including Cars, The Incredibles, Monsters Inc. and Pirates of the Caribbean.

For fighting fans, it’s all about Divekick this week. As we reported a couple of days ago, indie brawler Divekick is set to bring its bizarre brand of fighting to the PS3 and Vita this week, giving players limited combat options that, surprisingly, also equate to deep, strategic gameplay.

Finally, what would a Drop be like without a couple of PlayStation 2 Classics to round out the roster? This week’s offerings are Naval Ops Commander and Kessen III. If you missed out on these titles when they were originally released last generation, now is your chance to get in on the action as they make their way to the PlayStation Network.

This week's Nintendo eShop and Virtual Console updates have (mostly) gone live, offering a handful of games on both the Wii U and 3DS. The latest Splinter Cell game arrives on Nintendo's home console this week, alongside a couple of nice sales, while NES classic Donkey Kong finally makes an appearance on the Big N's handheld.

Set to arrive on Nintendo's virtual store shelf on Aug. 20, Tom Clancy's Spinter Cell: Blacklist is ready to infiltrate the Wii U, taking players on Sam Fisher's latest outing full of espionage, sneaking and quietly dispatching foes.

“The United States is being threatened with a terror ultimatum known as the Blacklist, a series of deadly escalating attacks,” reads the statement from Nintendo. “Sam Fisher is the only agent with the authority to hunt down these terrorists by any means necessary. The countdown has begun.”

Or, at least, it WILL begin on Aug. 20. Until then you'll just have to entertain yourself with the classic arcade hit, Galaga. Making its way to the Wii U Virtual Console, Galaga puts the player in control of a ship tasked with defending the planet from vicious alien attacks, complete with varying enemy attack patterns, “Dual Fighter” power-ups and more.

If you're looking to save a little monty on a couple of great games, though, then you'll likely want to check out this week's deals on Bit.Trip Presents Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien and Trine 2: Director's Cut. Runner 2 comes from the team at Gaijin Games and revitalizes the familiar runner genre with some new mechanics, lovely graphics and toe-tapping tunes. It's a lot of fun and can be yours for just $11.25 through Aug. 29. If side-scrolling adventure games are more your style, then you'll want to pick up Trine 2. Freely swap between three classes of characters and utilize their special abilities to solve puzzles and continue your quest through some truly beautiful worlds. It'll only set you back $7.99 through Sept. 5.

There are four new offerings on the 3DS eShop this week, including 10-in-1: Arcade Collection, Barbie: Groom and Glam Pups, Heavy Fire: Black Arms 3D and My Western Horse 3D. If you're looking for some old school fun, though, then you'll want to swing by the Virtual Console, too, as the classic arcade hit, Donkey Kong is finally made available on the 3DS. The game was offered as part of the early adopters program for the 3DS last year but, until now, that was the only way to actually get the game.

For more info on this week's eShop and Virtual Console games, be sure to visit Nintendo's official website.

Ubisoft has wrapped up development on their action-stealth game Splinter Cell: Blacklist. Now that the game is gold, they feel comfortable releasing the official system requirements for the PC version.

The system specs were released through Ubisoft's forums (via Blue's News). In that post, they point out that Steam's listed requirements were actually wrong. The game needs a processor of 2.13 GHz or higher, rather than 2.53 GHz. Here's the full list of requirements:

Minimum:

• OS:Windows® XP (SP3) / Windows Vista® (SP2) / Windows® 7 (SP1) / Windows® 8
• Processor:2.13 GHz Intel® Core™2 Duo E6400 or 2.80 GHz AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 5600+ or better
• Memory:2 GB RAM
• Graphics:512 MB DirectX® 10–compliant with Shader Model 4.0 or higher
• DirectX®:9
• Hard Drive:25 GB HD space
• Sound: DirectX 10–compliant DirectX 9.0c–compliant
• Additional:Peripherals Supported: Windows-compatible keyboard, mouse, headset, optional controller (Xbox 360 Controller for Windows recommended)

Recommended:

• Processor:2.66 GHz Intel® Core™2 Quad Q8400 or 3.00 GHz AMD Phenom™ II X4 940 or better
• Memory:4 GB RAM
• DirectX®:11
• Hard Drive:25 GB HD space
• Sound: (5.1 surround sound recommended)
• Other Requirements:Broadband Internet connection
• Additional:Peripherals Supported: Windows-compatible keyboard, mouse, headset, optional controller (Xbox 360 Controller for Windows recommended)

Blacklist is the first game completed by Ubisoft Toronto. The four-year-old studio is led by Jade Raymond, who you might remember from her days as an Assassin's Creed producer or from the creepy shrine of photos in your basement. Blacklist senior producer Alex Parizeau told IGN that Ubisoft's Montreal, Shanghai, Bucharest and Pune studios also contributed.

"We brought together an amazing team from across the industry who went all in to deliver the biggest game in the series," Parizeau told the website. "I know I speak on behalf of the entire team when I say we can’t wait to get the game into the hands of our fans.”

Now that Ubisoft Toronto has finished Blacklist, they'll presumably focus on Rainbow 6: Patriots. Patriots, a squad-based shooter, underwent numerous personnel and design changes since it was announced in 2011. Last we heard, Ubisoft had pushed the game into next-generation. If they're serious about reviving the Rainbow 6 series, I'd think that Ubisoft Toronto would be getting back to work on that game right away.

Blacklist continues the storyline of the Splinter Cell series. Covert agent Sam Fisher's previous employer, Third Echelon, is no more. He now leads a new organization called Fourth Echelon. The campaign was the subject of some early fan backlash due to the perceived focus on action and the new voice actor for Sam Fisher.

Long-time series fans may be happier about the multiplayer situation, though. For Blacklist, Ubisoft Toronto is bringing back the old Spies vs. Mercenaries modes. One team will play heavily armed soldiers and must guard objectives from a team of stealthy operatives.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist, like SC: Conviction, will feature a full co-op campaign. Ubisoft discusses this two-player mission in a new developer diary.

With Blacklist, Ubisoft wants the co-op to be more integrated into the main story. One of the playable characters is Sam Fisher. Joining him on missions will be Isaac Briggs, a younger member of Fourth Echelon. He seems to be the same character rescued in the cinematic trailer.

The story-based co-op missions will play out over 14 maps. The maps were designed by Ubisoft Shanghai, the studio also responsible for the Wii U version of the game. The missions are laid out in such a way that you need two players in order to succeed. You can't just play them alone with a second player sitting at the beginning.

Blacklist sounds like it's going to be a pretty impressive package. In addition to co-op and the campaign, the game also features Spies Vs. Mercs competitive multiplayer. Hopefully there's some quality to go with all the quantity.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist will hit consoles and the PC this August.

Today Ubisoft delivered the first gameplay footage (via IGN) from Splinter Cell: Blacklist's multiplayer. They're bringing back the "Spies vs. Mercenaries" mode from previous games in the series.

In Spies vs. Mercs matches, the players are divided into two teams. The mercs have to defend data terminals in a base. The spies must try to sneak in and hack these terminals.

Each team has very different capabilities. Mercs are armor-clad and wield heavy weaponry. They also possess gadgets like flying drones and motion detectors to help them detect the spies. Spies are more agile, allowing them to climb through areas not accessible to the mercs. Their goggles allow them to see any nearby enemies. If they can sneak up on a mercenary, they can take them out with one hit.

I like Spies vs. Mercs for the same reason I like Assassin's Creed's multiplayer: it's true to the single-player experience. Stealth and caution are still favored. It's not just a mindless deathmatch mode tacked onto the game to ship a few more units.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist is in development for Xbox 360, PS3, PC and Wii U. The game will be available on all platforms in late August.

Ubisoft is about to start showing off the multiplayer for Splinter Cell: Blacklist. A new teaser video from the company says that the first footage from "Spies versus Mercs" will debut on May 2nd.

"Spies versus Mercs" is a team-based multiplayer experience that appeared in Splinter Cell: Double Agent and other older entries in the series. Players take on the role of spies or mercenaries and attempt to complete opposing objectives. The spies must rely on stealth and gadgets to complete their mission, while mercenaries carry heavy firepower.

Long-time Splinter Cell fans have heaped a lot of criticism upon Blacklist due to its heavy action elements. Protagonist Sam Fisher can call in airstrikes or kill multiple enemies on the move. In subsequent trailers, Ubisoft has tried to play up the stealth elements. A thoughtful "Spies vs. Mercs" mode that emphasizes careful, stealthy gameplay would help silence those critics.

Blacklist was announced last summer. Ubisoft confirmed at the time that "Spies vs. Mercs" was making a comeback, but that's all they've said about the multiplayer thus far. It's not clear SvM will be the only online component to the game.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist will arrive on Wii U, Xbox 360, PC and PS3 this August.

The official box art for Splinter Cell: Blacklist has been released by Ubisoft. It shows the younger-looking Sam Fisher about to attack an unseen enemy.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist is the first game in which Fisher isn't voiced by Michael Ironside. He's been replaced by actor Eric Johnson. In addition to voicing Fisher, Johnson is also performing motion capture duties to make the character look more realistic.

Although Fisher looks a bit younger in this game to fit the new actor, Blacklist isn't a reboot. Instead, the game directly continues the storyline from Conviction. The covert agency Third Echelon has been dissolved by the President. It's been replaced by Fourth Echelon, led by Sam Fisher. In their first major assignment, the new agency must face a group of terrorists intent on performing several attacks on the United States.

Blacklist will arrive worldwide in August on the Xbox 360, PS3, PC and Wii U. Pre-order customers have a choice between the Standard and Collector's Edition.

Ubisoft has rolled out another gameplay trailer for Splinter Cell: Blacklist. As you might imagine, it shows Sam Fisher sneaking up on people and killing them. This man needs a hobby.

The trailer gives us glimpses at some of the gadgets and moves that Fisher can use in his missions. Like most trailers, though, it focuses on style over substance. It's designed to make Sam Fisher look bad-ass rather than to inform you about the game. Might be a bit meaningless, then, to a Splinter Cell vet who already knows how cool Fisher is.

If you're looking for more in-depth footage from the game, the Abandoned Mill walkthrough video from last month is a better choice. In that video, a player makes their way through the same level with three different playstyles. It shows off the diverse set of skills at Fisher's disposal that allow him to be as violent or stealthy as he wants.

Blacklist takes place after the events of Splinter Cell: Conviction. The corrupt agency Third Echelon has been shut down by the President. To replace it, she founds a new agency called Fourth Echelon with Sam Fisher at the head. The newly minted agency must work to stop a team of terrorists from accomplishing their "black list" of attacks on the United States.

Ubisoft will release Blacklist in August on the Xbox 360, PS3, PC and Wii U.

The rumored Wii U version of Splinter Cell: Blacklist is real. Ubisoft has confirmed that the action-stealth game will hit the Wii U on the same day as the PS3 and Xbox 360 this August.

Blacklist is set after the events of Splinter Cell: Conviction. Covert operative Sam Fisher is now the leader of Fourth Echelon, an elite group performing missions for the President of the United States. The newly formed Fourth Echelon must stop a group of 12 terrorists from carrying out a series of attacks on the United States.

The Wii U version, first outed by a retailer, makes use of the GamePad's unique capabilities. You can use the touchscreen to switch between weapons, utilize gadgets and more. In the first screenshot, Fisher is looking through a keyhole in a door. What he sees through the keyhole is visible on the GamePad's touchscreen.

Last year, Ubisoft said that they want to be the top third-party publisher on the Wii U. Blacklist's Wii U version is just the latest example of that effort. Assassin's Creed 4 and Watch Dogs, two of their other big 2013 releases, are also coming to that console as well.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist will arrive on August 20th in North America, August 22nd in EMEA territories and August 23rd in the UK.

Ubisoft wants both action fans and stealth fans to enjoy Splinter Cell: Blacklist. The latest developer tour video shows three different ways to tackle a segment of the game.

The first playstyle, dubbed "The Ghost," aims to be stealthy and non-lethal. Players can use a flying tri-rotor drone to mark enemies or knock them out with an electric dart. They can also lure enemies to their cover by whistling and silently knock them out. Another stealthy gadget shown here is the sleeping gas grenade that enables quiet takedowns from a distance.

A "Panther" player tries to be stealthy too but doesn't mind spilling some blood. They can creep up behind enemies and slash their throat. These takedowns allow Sam to then mark several targets and execute them in rapid succession with ranged or melee attacks.

The "Assault" playstyle, meanwhile, abandons all subtlety. They might sneak up on an enemy but only so they can use them as a human shield in the inevitable gunfight. Using an enemy as a human shield will earn the player quick executes as well.

A lot of old school Splinter Cell fans take umbrage with the the new action-oriented direction that the series has taken as of late. Ubisoft didn't help the matter by unveiling the game with a Rambo-like gameplay video. They've gone out of their way since then to highlight the stealth elements as well. We'll see if they can manage to convince skeptical veterans.

Blacklist will be released in August.

The Paladin Edition of Splinter Cell: Blacklist comes with a remote control airplane modeled after Fourth Echelon's mobile base. To assure gamers that this plane can actually take to the skies, Ubisoft has released a video of a test flight.

The C-147B Paladin plane has two engines and can reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. It can fly up to 250 feet away from the remote. You'll get up to four minutes of flight time until you need to recharge battery.

A pre-flight warranty will cover you through February 27th, 2014. Instructional videos will help you build, operate and maintain the plane. Parkflyers RC will provide customer service and sell you replacement parts if need be.

The R/C plane is exclusively available through the $169.99 Paladin Edition. This bundle also includes two co-op maps and two in-game items. Ubisoft has also thrown in a poster and graphic novel.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist publisher Ubisoft announced a Paladin Multi-Mission Aircraft Edition for the stealth-action game today. This Collector's Edition, offered in North America and Latin America, includes a remote-controlled airplane and many other extras.

The R/C plane is based on the Paladin aircraft used by Sam Fisher's secretive agency Fourth Echelon. It's described as a three-channel, dual-motor plane. It won't just taxi around on your driveway - it actually flies.

The CE includes many other collectibles as well. The custom packaging also includes a poster and the Splinter Cell: Echoes graphic novel. DLC vouchers will unlock the "Dead Coast" and "Billionaire's Yacht" co-op maps, Gold Sonar goggles and Upper Echelon suit.

Blacklist's CE, available on Xbox 360 and PS3, will be priced at $169.99. It will arrive alongside the standard edition in August.

The next installment of the Splinter Cell series won't be out this spring. Ubisoft announced today that they've pushed the launch of Splinter Cell: Blacklist into late summer.

The stealth-action game was previously expected this spring. The new release date for Blacklist is August 20th, according to the latest trailer. Presumably that date only applies to Xbox 360 and PS3, as Ubisoft has a habit of delaying the PC version of their multiplatform titles.

Blacklist is facing a bit more pressure than previous games in the series. It's the first title not to feature Michael Ironside as the voice of Sam Fisher. Instead, he's been replaced by Eric Johnson who will also be performing motion capturing. The new action elements of Blacklist are also causing some friction. A delay to add some additional polish to the title isn't a bad idea.

The new trailer is called "Inauguration." It shows the inauguration footage from various presidents. More importantly, we see the new president, Patricia Caldwell, appointing Sam Fisher - as head of Fourth Echelon, a new covert agency that combats threats throughout the world. Naturally, there's some footage of Fisher roughly handling terrorists as well.

There are a lot of games to be excited about this year. Games like BioShock Infinite and Grand Theft Auto 5 have been showered with praise since they were first announced and have been steadily racking up pre-orders. Not every big release in 2013 is so eagerly anticipated, though. Some are downright dreaded.

There are a lot of reasons why a game is dismissed right off the bat. Maybe the publisher said something stupid or offensive. Maybe it's a sequel trying something radically different. Maybe the hero has the wrong hair color.

Most of the games you think look like shit will turn out to be shit. Pessimists tend to have a better batting average than optimists. However, here's a list of five games that have been crapped on since they were announced but might end up surprising you.

DmC: Devil May Cry

The controversy surrounding Devil May Cry's reboot comes down to two words: Emo Dante. DmC: Devil May Cry creates a new storyline and redesigns the main character of the series. Dante, once a seasoned demon hunter with long white hair and a trenchcoat, became a short-haired teenager. His coat is also much less fashionable. The horror!

The debate over Dante's new appearance overshadows the similarities between DmC and earlier games. Dante might be an emo teenager here but he still pummels demons with vicious sword and gun combos. Players are still ranked on their style, encouraging them to make their combos as long and varied as possible. If you're obsessed over the old Dante, note that Emo Dante's hair turns white whenever you enter Devil Trigger mode.

The first reviews released thus far have been very positive. Gamers who decided they hated the reboot as soon as they laid eyes on teenage Dante might insist that Capcom bought these review scores. However, we'll see what the truth is later this month when the game launches.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist

Ubisoft only have themselves to blame for Splinter Cell: Blacklist's mixed reception. The first gameplay footage they released played up the action elements of the game rather than the stealth. Sam Fisher shot up groups of enemies at a time and even called in an airstrike. It made long-time fans of the series think that Blacklist was a pure third-person shooter.

In reality, the game looks like it's going to be a mixture of action and stealth in the style of Splinter Cell: Conviction. In fact, it's more of a stealth game than Conviction because it reintroduces features such as whistling to get guards' attention and hiding bodies. Some many mourn how Splinter Cell is no longer a "pure" stealth series but it seems like you can play the game like that if you wish.

Blacklist also brings back the "Spies versus Mercenaries" multiplayer from Double Agent. One team takes on the role of spies who must sneak around the map and complete objectives while the other team takes on the role of heavily armed mercenaries. The fact that Ubisoft brought this mode back suggests that, even though they've added all these action features to attract new players, they remember that stealth is the key element of the series.

XCOM

Many X-Com fans wanted to see the dormant strategy series return, but no one wanted a shooter. The most recent game in the series, X-COM: Enforcer, was a shooter and was awful. The reaction to the announcement of XCOM, another FPS, was immediately negative. 2K president Christoph Hartmann didn't help matters by stating that strategy games aren't contemporary. With XCOM, it seemed like 2K was simply cashing in on the series' name.

XCOM actually doesn't look all that bad, though. Some of the most recent gameplay footage showed it's not just some mindless shoot 'em up. Instead, it's a tactical shooter in the vein of Brothers in Arms. Players assemble a squad of agents, manage their progression, and direct them in combat.

If you want a true X-Com game with the base management and turn-based strategy of the older games, then you can play this fall's XCOM: Enemy Unknown. The XCOM shooter may ever be as beloved as the strategy games but it doesn't deserve scorn. It will allow players to experience the battle against extraterrestrials from a more personal perspective. It seems like an interesting supplement to the strategy series, rather than a cynical attempt to milk the X-Com brand.

Dead Space 3

Dead Space 3's big new feature - two-player co-op - is its most controversial. Many fans think that the series is abandoning its roots and becoming another money-grubbing shooter franchise. The introduction of a cover system has just made the "Gears of Dead Space" jokes even easier.

The thing is, though, Dead Space was never a horror series. It's always been action with occasional scary moments. There's no survival horror tradition to betray. Isaac Clarke never ran around a mansion with three bullets in his pocket and an ink ribbon. Since the first game, he's been an armor-clad killing machine with military-grade weapons. When he needs more ammunition (he never does), he can buy more at the store.

DS3 has everything that made the previous games so damn charming: Necromorph ambushes, enormous bosses, dismemberment, and so on. The presence of a second player isn't going to ruin any of that. It might just make the action - the series' focus - even better.

Elder Scrolls Online

The Elder Scrolls series has traditionally been a single-player series. Elder Scrolls Online, however, is an MMORPG set in the universe. As you've seen from the previous games in this list, breaking with tradition is a surefire way to piss off fans. Since the game was announced, there's been an ongoing debate over whether it's a legitimate Elder Scrolls game. The troubled life of Star Wars: The Old Republic, another MMORPG spawned by a single-player RPG series, is fresh in everyone's memories.

ESO seems to retain many of things that fans love about the series, though. For example, there's a heavy emphasis on exploration. You won't just go to a hub town and grab a bunch of quests. Instead, you're encouraged to wander and make adventures of your own in the various ruins and caves throughout the world. Public dungeons and Daedric invasions give you opportunities to team up with strangers on the fly; you won't sit in a capital city saying "LFG" in chat for an hour.

The game also seems like the best opportunity yet to experience Elder Scrolls' lore. Unlike the single-player games, ESO isn't limited to a single province. You'll be able to explore various regions of Tamriel, some of which have never appeared in a game before. You can finally see what Summerset Isles or the Black Marsh looks like.

A new behind-the-scenes video for Splinter Cell: Blacklist was released by Ubisoft today. This particular video focuses on the art direction behind Sam Fisher's latest covert mission.

Blacklist uses a third-person camera perspective like other games in the series. However, there's a twist here: the game world looks as though it's being viewed through an actual camera. In rainy weather, water will spray on the screen. Lights will create lens flare, or even reflect off the water droplets on screen.

Light and shadows have always played an important role in this series due to the emphasis on stealth. Art director Scott Lee says that they've taken things one step further in this game, making sure that light feels like an actual object. Each light has a "soul"; artificial light, moonlight and sunlight all look distinctly different and play off objects in different ways.

The last subject Lee touched on was Sam Fisher's appearance. The team didn't want Sam to appear superhuman. Sure, he's a government-trained killing machine with hundreds of kills to his name but he's not untouchable. At the same time, he's also very sleek and agile. He resembles the Sam from Chaos Theory rather than his grittier Double Agent/Conviction self.

If you'd rather watch a video of Sam Fisher body-slamming unsuspecting guards, head here.

The early footage from Splinter Cell: Blacklist looked more like an action game, but Ubisoft wants everyone to know that this game values stealth. A new trailer shows Sam Fisher avoiding unnecessary bloodshed.

If Sam can get close enough to an unaware enemy, he can silently knock them out. He can perform these moves regardless of whether or not he's behind cover. The takedowns range from simple (sleeper holds) to acrobatic (sliding kicks, hip tosses).

There's a world of difference between not hurting and not killing someone. At one point, Fisher body-slams a guy head-first into the ground. Some of these takedowns look needlessly complicated (he really didn't need to bicycle kick that one guy) but the overall effect is that the stealth approach should be as satisfying as more bloody methods.

In Blacklist, a secretive group is planning a series of deadly terrorist attacks against the United States. Fisher leads a new clandestine unit called 4th Echelon that must travel the globe and find these terrorists. The formation of 4th Echelon is detailed in a new comic called Echoes.

Nintendo may have wrangled another hardcore title for the Wii U. A retailer display in Ireland lists action-stealth game Splinter Cell: Blacklist for the upcoming console.

The image (via NeoGAF) was taken at a GameStop in Dublin. It shows Blacklist alongside numerous other titles already confirmed for the Wii U. The Blacklist Wii U box art could just be a mock-up rather than official material from Ubisoft, though.

It would not be srprising to see Ubisoft bring the Splinter Cell series to Wii U. In the past, they've said they want to be the number one third-party publisher for that console. Also, unlike some publishers, they're optimistic about Wii U's ability to appeal to hardcore gamers. They're also developing survival horror title ZombiU, a Wii U exclusive.

Blacklist is expected next spring so Ubisoft's got plenty of time to announce a Wii U version.

In the past generation of gaming the only comparisons you could draw between Metal Gear and Splinter Cell is that both games were stealth games. Comparisons stopped there. However, with Splinter Cell taking on a more action-oriented guise, gamers and gaming media have been making closer comparisons between Ubisoft's action-stealth title and Kojima's sci-fi stealth series. One of the directors for Splinter Cell: Blacklist says that the differences between both series is still spaced apart, mostly because Blacklist is rooted in more realism than Ground Zeroes.

In a brief interview with NowGamer, cinematic director David Footman for Ubisoft's upcoming Splinter Cell: Blacklist stated that...

One of the main reasons why both games have been compared so much as of late is because of the tone both have taken on. While Metal Gear has usually been rooted in stealth with an arc of science fiction and futurism, the gameplay tech demo for Ground Zeroes however talked about technology and gameplay that was a lot closer to what you would expect from the sequel to Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory: directional lighting, shadow casting, realistic stealth movements and new stealth mechanics.

What's more is that the Ground Zeroes demo was a proper stealth setup: it was at night, it was dark, Big Boss was in serious stealth gear and moved around quietly and covertly. It was about using darkness to an advantage and avoiding light at all costs. It was the complete opposite of the Splinter Cell: Blacklist walkthrough from E3.

Footman goes on to say...

The “realism pillar” is entirely debatable. The older games had scenarios that seemed realistic and plausible given that they were espionage missions...things you would never hear about on the news. If Blacklist is anything like Conviction then that “realism pillar” is about as accurate as the fair and balanced journalism on Fox News.

Ubisoft's stealth-action series Splinter Cell is branching into comics. Today they revealed Splinter Cell: Echoes, a graphic novel that takes place between the games Splinter Cell: Conviction and Blacklist.

Echoes was written by Nathan Edmondson, who also worked on Ultimate Comics: Iron Man. The illustrator is Marc Laming of Planet of the Apes fame. The two previously collaborated on The Activity, a military thriller that put them on Ubisoft's radar.

Edmondson was tight-lipped about the graphic novel's plot in his IGN interview. However, he did mention that Sam Fisher's life takes some "very interesting turns" after the events of Conviction. I imagine some neck-snapping is involed.

At the end of Conviction, Fisher is no longer in the employ of the US government. However, by the time Blacklist rolls around, Fisher has become the head of a new elite agency called Fourth Echelon. The graphic novel presumably explains how that new job came about.

Ubisoft plans to release Echoes sometime next year. Blacklist will be available worldwide in March.

Ubisoft has an important announcement to make about Splinter Cell: Blacklist. However, they're not going to tell us what it is just yet. Instead, they've released a teaser image.

The teaser shows the lower half of a man's face. It's not clear who he is, but the five o'clock shadow suggests it's Sam. Two green-white lines run the length of the picture.

Not really sure what it's supposed to be teasing. The green lines are what throw me off. As soon as I saw them, I thought "Hey, that guy's got Kryptonite tears." I think we can safely assume there's no Superman/Splinter Cell cross-over planned, though.

Ubisoft says that they'll reveal more and more of this image if you "like" it over on their Facebook page. So yeah, go do that.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist has picked up a ton of ire from long-time fans of the series, so much so that the game's director had to make a statement about the backlash being uninformed and based on a knee-jerk reaction. Well, one gamer compiled a few of Michael Ironside's old interviews together and juxtaposed that to the Blacklist game tropes and it's obvious that fans weren't the only ones who weren't digging the G.I. Joe, gun-ho Sam from this year's E3 footage.

It had been mentioned in passing that Ironside wasn't really pleased with Splinter Cell: Conviction. Many long time fans also expressed a measure of displeasure with the game's shallow Hollywood, man-on-fire storyline and head-blasting gameplay. However, it all comes together in a video by YouTube user Awakeisland who compiles interviews of Michael Ironside to give you a take on why he originally signed on to play Sam Fisher and pretty much why he's not playing Sam anymore in the latest game.

Most long-time fans made the smarmy remark how in the E3 video Sam killed more people than the first two games combined (and depending on your play-style, the third game as well).

Director Michael Footman was angered that fans have been spreading a lot of negativity about Splinter Cell: Blacklist and took to the offense saying that people gathered the wrong impression of Blacklist and they haven't played the game yet, so they're making uninformed accusations.

It's a little tough to gather a proper impression of the game when the E3 video was a G.I. Joe Rambo-fest and the supposed “stealth” walkthrough was a shoddy last-minute venture where non-lethality hadn't even been implemented, yet the game's multi-kill Jack Bauer-power system was working fine and dandy. Wrong impression my foot.

It's obvious Ironside really likes the series and had a deep connection with the character, hence his move to a more narrative role in Splinter Cell: Blacklist.

[[ br. br ]] The dumbed down story and de-aged Sam Fisher is here to stay, though, and it's obvious Ironside won't be voicing Sam again unless the game gets back to its roots.

For those who enjoy the action-oriented, blockbuster Splinter Cell games will probably find themselves right at home with Blacklist. As for those old-school fans frustrated at the Call of Duty-direction the series has taken on, don't feel too bad, at least Michael Ironside is...on your side.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist director David Footman is on the offense for the criticisms that spawned after everyone got a good dose of Splinter Cell at E3, the game that many dubbed as an ultra-violent 24 meets Rambo. The game contained absolutely nothing Splinter Cell related, but Footman believes that gamers deceived themselves because they haven't played the game yet.

In an interview with Eurogamer, David explains that the reactions are “uninformed” because there hasn't been enough information released on Blacklist to make such a judgment about the game not being close to its predecessors or lacking proper stealth. Footman stated that...

Well what the heck do you think people would say after watching an entire level where a guy Rambos his way through an army of guys using Jack Bauer-quality instant-kill gun skills? Let's not forget that Splinter Cell used to be synonymous with getting in, completing the mission, hurting no one (if possible) and getting out unseen. That was the gist of the games. So I'd love to know how Footman thinks a Rambo-video is equivalent to getting in unseen and getting out unseen? Seems like an oxymoron.

The older games were taut, poignant and provided a sense of intelligence to the storytelling, they weren't low-brow shooters aimed at gun-ho Americans who just want to shoot some turban-wrapped Muslim extremists. In other words, as a Splinter Cell game the E3 video was trash.

Nevertheless, for gun-happy shooter fans who enjoyed Conviction, more of the same looks enticing. Hence, there's a divide between fans of the series and newcomers to the series.

For the most part, Ubisoft tried remedying the situation with a stealth-only video that still received a lot of mixed reactions, mostly due to the poor implementation of the stealth mechanics. It became somewhat apparent that shooting everything in sight was the foremost way to play.

The other issue is that most of the previous Splinter Cell missions took place at night, and were focused on retrieving intel, spying on someone or disrupting a flow of information. As mentioned, it was slightly high-brow entertainment. Gamers also quickly drew comparisons to the Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes video, which many gamers commended as being the sort of stealth game they expected from Splinter Cell: Blacklist.

I think Ubisoft does better no longer defending the game as a stealth game. Instead, they should just call it what it is: a third-person shooter with some light stealth elements. Trying to convince long-time fans that the series is the same even though a lot of the cool, high-tech gadgets and stealth elements have been removed just makes it look bad all the way around.

We still don't know exactly how Sam Fisher got younger but he's managed to knock off at least 15 years, slim down and somehow get angrier than a 14 year old, angst-ridden teen on anabolic steroids. Sam shows off some of that angst in the new trailer called “Fifth Freedom”, where a splinter cell gets to do what they do best.

If you're a fan of the old, subtle storylines about political espionage and slow-build tension, you can forget about that being in the newest Splinter Cell. It's all about Hollywood sized plots aimed at the PG-13 crowd with plenty of explosions, lots of bloodletting and a protagonist who happens to be very angry for the purpose of being angry. Check it out below.

I imagine this will be like a more honed, fleshed-out, stealth rendition of Gears of War...for gamers who love doing all that shooting but want to feel like there's a bit more intelligence involved.

While many gamers screamed and hollered that Michael Ironside was replaced with a much younger actor due to the new mo-cap and voice-acting process that Ubisoft is utilizing, at least Ironside is providing narration. That's something, right....right?!

Anyway, the game looks like it provides quite a punch, and even if it's not as smart, politically challenging or morally ambiguous as the first three games (and a little bit of the fourth), it'll probably provide gamers with a ton of testosterone-filled action from start to finish, just like the Halos, Gears of Wars, Assassin's Creeds and KillZones...right where a taut, thinking-man's stealth game belongs, eh?

Ubisoft released a new video walkthrough at PAX Prime to help assuage some of the disgruntled rumblings within the niche parts of the stealth-action genre. Pretty much every fan of Chaos Theory (hailed as the best Splinter Cell game in the entire franchise) feel like Blacklist diverges too much from the stealth route. Well, the PAX Prime video is Ubisoft's way of saying they're still thinking about the stealth audience. The only problem is that the stealth elements look tacky and clumsy compared to the game's very fluent action elements.

I'm just going to dive right into the thick of it and say: all the stealth elements for Splinter Cell: Blacklist look like they were added in at the last minute. The previous walkthrough videos mostly focused on the action elements of the game, which ironically enough, look and feel very thorough and polished.

In the seven minute mission trailer below we get to see how Sam can use stealth to avoid killing people (except for one, because non-lethal animations haven't been added in yet), but it's just not Splinter Cell.

First off, why was that ledge near those three guys so out of place? It almost looked like someone went back into the map editor and “bumped” out a place for Sam to move. It didn't look or feel natural to the environment at all.

The other problem was the dog...what was up with that dog who went the complete opposite direction of where Sam was, even though he was like 10 feet away? Was the dog's sense of smell impaired or something? Had the AI been better the other problem is that there was no way out of that situation save for killing everything in sight.

And finally, what was up with the odd pacing of the stealth elements? Ubisoft kind of shot themselves in the foot doing the side-by-side comparison of using stealth versus going in guns-a-blazin'. The problem is that shooting everything in sight looks fun and exciting, where-as using the not-so-convenient stealth elements looks boring and trite, which is the complete opposite of what was established in the first four games.

I find it odd that the team polished up all the Michael Bay 'Splosions™ and highly entertaining Jack Bauer shooting mechanics first before addressing the franchise's staple feature: stealth.

Chaos Theory did a superb job of making the stealth elements punishing and unforgiving. You had to think about how you planned to utilize the environment to your advantage. You had to hide bodies frequently and think intelligently about how to progress through each segment.

The problem that becomes apparent in that video is that stealth is obviously an afterthought. There didn't seem to be any gadgets to help with the stealth and it didn't look like using stealth was a well-thought out alternative for that particular stage.

Nevertheless, Ubisoft is about making money so gamers should at least be glad there is an option for stealth. And while stealth fans don't really get stealth games anymore, you can always go back to your old collection of Splinter Cell games for intense, thought-provoking stealth gameplay. Oh yeah, and there's always Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes.

The team at Ubisoft Toronto released a small update on stealth-action game Splinter Cell: Blacklist today. The lone screenshot gives us a close look at the suit that Fourth Echelon agent Sam Fisher wears in his missions.

In the shot, Fisher is rapelling along the side of a building somewhere in the Middle East. It looks like it's part of the mission seen in the extended walkthrough video. While Fisher's just hanging from a rope here, rest assured he's about to do something very cool.

One interesting thing about Sam's armor is the green light on his shoulder as well. That's actually the light indicator, which shows how hidden he is. It seems like it glows when he's hidden in the shadows. It doesn't really make sense - why would a stealthy operative want his suit to glow green? - but it's cleaner than a UI window. Furthermore, it's less jarring than changing the screen to black and white whenever he's hidden as Splinter Cell: Conviction did.

If you're unsatisfied with Fisher's choice of tactical jumpsuit, don't be worried. Ubisoft said via Twitter there will be several, customizable outfits for players to use.

For Gamescom, Ubisoft released a ten-minute gameplay video for Splinter Cell: Blacklist narrated by creative director Maxime Beland. It clearly demonstrates how Ubisoft has beefed up the action elements for this latest installment in the action-stealth series.

The "Mark and Execute" system from SC: Conviction will make a return, allowing the player to queue up multiple targets and then insta-kill all of them with a press of a button. The development team at Ubisoft Toronto has added a new wrinkle to this mechanic called "Killing In Motion." The actual rules of "Killing In Motion" aren't clear, but it allows you to essentially pull off instant executes on the run. In the video, Sam runs up to soldier, slashes his throat, and then quickly guns down his two comrades.

As the head of Fourth Echelon, Sam has direct control over some amazing firepower. He can call down airstrikes on heavy targets, such as a gun emplacement. He can also directly control a UAV and wipe out enemies in a hail of machinegun fire and missiles. Both airstrikes and UAVs seemed to be limited to certain points of missions, though, so you'll still have to do most of the killing the old-fashioned way.

The new action-oriented features of Blacklist will probably receive a mixed reaction from series vets. It should be noted that the stealth mechanics from Conviction look to be intact, though. Beland said during the video that they want to offer player "tons of choice." It seems like the goal is to let the player approach the game with either a stealth or trigger-happy mentality. As long as both sides of the coin are sufficiently developed, no one will have any cause for complaint...right?

Blacklist will debut in Spring 2013 on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Ubisoft and GameStop are teaming up to promote Splinter Cell: Blacklist. This month they're giving select GameStop customers the chance to appear in the upcoming stealth game.

GameStop PowerUp Rewards members will have a chance to win whenever they make a purchase or trade-in using their PowerUp Rewards card. Transactions through GameStop stores and GameStop.com both count. You just need to make sure you make at least one trade-in or purchase during June.

The one winner will get a free trip to Ubisoft Toronto to meet the development team. You'll say something stupid like, "Hey I really like Splinter Cell!" and they'll be all like, "Us too!" After your witty banter, they'll record your likeness for use in Blacklist.

There's no mention of what kind of character your face will be used for. Presumably you'll be some random Fourth Echelon agent that helps Fisher on his mission. Or you'll be an international terrorist whose neck Fisher snaps. Or you'll be a random shopkeeper gunned down by terrorist. Ubisoft will probably make a snap decision depending on what you look like.

For the official rules of the contest, head here. Blacklist, announced last week at E3, is slated for a Spring 2013 release on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Ubisoft debuted a cinematic trailer for the newly-announced spy game Splinter Cell: Blacklist today. It re-introduces us to covert operative Sam Fisher and details his new employer.

It seems that the higher-ups in Washington have decided that they've had enough of secret agency Third Echelon and its violent ways. They've decided to shut it down. So, what's a covert agency to do? They reform as...Fourth Echelon.

In the trailer, Fisher rescues a hostage somewhere in the Middle East. It's about two minutes' worth of him hunting and killing terrorists. Par for the course with Splinter Cell, I suppose. The trailer did have one surprising bit, though: Fisher uses a miniature robot to scope out a room of terrorists before ambushing them.

Blacklist will arrive on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in spring 2013.

Ubisoft unveiled the next Splinter Cell during Microsoft's pre-E3 press conference. Splinter Cell: Blacklist, said to be the "most ambitious" game in the series yet, will arrive in spring 2013.

The first gameplay demo showed government operative Sam Fisher fighting his way through a terrorist camp on the Iraq/Iran border. A lot of the signature Splinter Cell gameplay elements were on display. For example, performing stealth kills allows you to stop time and queue up one-shot kills on multiple targets. Fisher still has plenty of gadgets at his disposal as well, including a tiny camera to look past closed doors.

The "Blacklist" refers to a series of terrorist attacks being carried out against the United States. These attacks are being masterminded by a series of rogue nations trying to force the US to withdraw troops from hotspots across the globe. Who better than Fisher to stop this global conspiracy?

Perhaps the most intriguing part of the demo was the use of Kinect voice recognition. The player was able to call out to lure a guard. Also, he can call Fourth Echelon to bring in an airstrike on enemy forces.

Ubisoft confirmed that the game will ship with both single-player and co-op. It will also feature the "spies versus mercenaries" competitive multiplayer. Spies-versus-mercs was a popular mode from earlier in the series so I'm glad to see it returning.

Blacklist is in development at Ubisoft Toronto. It's the studio headed up by Assassin's Creed producer Jade Raymond. It's the first game that they'll be heading up.