Overview
- Nick Herman says Ubisoft San Francisco spent only a few months on a narrative-focused Splinter Cell before being pushed to add service-based features.
- The team tried to build a “narrative GaaS” and produced prototypes before leadership moved the work toward a free-to-play multiplayer FPS.
- That redirected effort became XDefiant, led in part by former Call of Duty executive Mark Rubin.
- XDefiant was shuttered roughly a year after its 2024 launch, with layoffs reported and Ubisoft San Francisco subsequently closed.
- Splinter Cell continues through a Ubisoft Toronto remake in development and Netflix’s Deathwatch series, while former team members’ AdHoc hit Dispatch has sold over one million copies.