Ubisoft has posted on its official forums the changes that have been made in Splinter Cell: Blacklist and the reasons behind them.
The post is quite long, and you can read it below. In short, he talks about the reason why Michael Ironside is not the voice of Sam Fisher anymore, that Spies vs. Mercs makes a comeback and a whole lot more.
Community Developer for Ubisoft Zack Cooper posted the following:
“Hey guys…
It’s been a very long, emotional, uplifting, and draining day.
You don’t know me. Yet.
I’m Zack Cooper.
I’m the Community Developer here at Ubisoft Toronto (writing you from E3/LA).
It’s been an emotional day because the team finally got to talk about its new baby.
It’s been uplifting, because of the overwhelmingly positive response that we got from the audience at the Microsoft press conference, on Twitter, and on Facebook.
It’s also been draining because I read what a lot of you are writing, and it pains me.
Not because of my place on the project – I’ve only been at UbiTO for a few momths – but because I feel (and I’m being completely honest and unfiltered here) like a lot of people are jumping to conclusions.
I am a huge fan of Splinter Cell (old and more recent). I’m a big fan of the stealth genre as a whole.
I’m also a big time gamer (before hopping on with Ubi, I was on the journalism side of the industry).
I would really like for you guys to open up your minds for a moment (I’m not pleading, I’m asking).
Understand that a lot of what goes into an announce is marketing.
Mass appeal.
Show what sings to the people. Not just the hardcore fans.
We knew that there would be some resistance. We knew that there would be knee-jerk reactions to being outdoors.
It’s bright. …and there are lots of enemies.
…but I assure you (and this is where you’re going to have to trust me for a bit)… there is PLENTY of stealth in Splinter Cell: Blacklist.
I’m going to do my best to convey this to you (ideally, by the end of the week – there’s a LOT to do).
We are not going to please everyone. That’s impossible.
…but I am (and certainly the team is) very confident that you will be very pleased with what you will see.
We listened to the fans.
Spies vs. Mercs is back. …and it’s going to kick some serious ass.
There will be plenty of shadows and darkness… and sneaking… and moving bodies… and sticky shocker moments (and TONS of other stuff we’ll communicate later).
There will be alternate routes, and more open levels.
It comes across as an action game. I know. …and it can be just that.
…but you can also be the sneaky bad ass Sam Fisher who a lot of you know and love.
But with a different voice.
The decision to go with a new Sam Fisher in that regard was with the gamer – you – truly in mind.
I love Michael Ironside (I was the guy who did the interviews). I loved Michael Ironside as Sam Fisher.
In order to push the gameplay to tomorrows standards we HAD to make the change; To push the envelope of gameplay and combat. (you watched the video, right?)
You’ve seen Killing in Motion.
…you HAVEN’T seen how it is so much deeper than just pushing a button and watching some slow-mo bullet-time. You will.
Conviction was released in 2010. Blacklist will be out Spring 2013.
Settling for just a voice-over wasn’t deemed acceptable for us, when we’ve got the capabilities to do full performance capture (and I’m a guy who worked in radio for 11 years – I appreciate the power of voice)
…as for the idea of having someone do the physical movements and laying on someone else`s voice? Come on, guys.
The whole 4th Echelon team has been doing full performance capture. It would be a disservice to the theatrical process (the believability of the story-telling) to do any such thing.
I’ve spent some time with Eric Johnson – the new Sam Fisher – as well (video of that is forthcoming).
He’s not only a great actor, but he’s a great fit. (sidenote: early in Eric`s career, he was involved in a scene where he was interrogated by Ironside, who, afterward, offered Eric a part in another project shortly thereafter).
There is SO much to Splinter Cell: Blacklist.
We aren`t kidding when we say this is the biggest (and most customizable) Splinter Cell ever made.
You will truly be able to play how you want.
I`m simply asking you to believe me at this point – because a lot of this is not in what`s marketing calls the “communication calendar” – until later.
I could get in trouble for this… but to me, it`s more important to make sure we don’t lose you to some rash judgements before you see the big picture.
…not just 6 minutes of gameplay and a CGI trailer.
The story… the elements that are for YOU the hardcore fan who’s been playing since 2002.
The multiplayer… the co-op…
I am a longtime SC fan… and I, too, dealt with some initial shock when I was first shown some of what you’ve seen.
…but I’ve seen so much more (and you will too, when it’s ready for public consumption)… and I KNOW that you will be happy.
Please… just be patient.
Sorry for the rant.
Feel free to reach out to me.
It`s a busy week – as you know – but I`ll do my best to respond.
Thanks for listening.
-Zack”
Dave
June 6, 2012 at 11:01 PMWhy does Sam have to move like a jack rabbit on coke? Hes pushing 60 and I’m more angry at NSA to keep putting the man in the field.
Looking back, why didn’t Lambert just say to Sam ” I need you to be a double agent for the USA”. Sam would definitely say yes rather than Lambert fake the daughter death.
No one has mentioned the goggles. This journalist may have “the auts”. Sonar goggles make you have to stop and scan yet the rest of the game of Conviction was fast fast fast moving. Felt counter productive.
Ubisoft is putting all the money for “tighter graphics” but they cant model a silencer on the 5-7?
Dear Zack, lets retire Sam and get some Sam Worthington / Channing Tatum half-wit to be the new protagonist. Just let Sam be.
jack
June 7, 2012 at 12:10 AM“with a different voice in order to push the gameplay to tomorrows standards we HAD to make the change”
funny….max payne 3 used the same tech and STILL had the original voice actor (James McCaffrey)
and why isnt a voice over not cutting it with the tech your using? like i said other games have done this very well.
_3211_
June 7, 2012 at 12:15 AMSam is pushing to his late 50s and you make him look younger than the first one AND get a voice of a 30 year old.
facepalm…
it this was a prequal i would be all for it, i really would be but this is baaaaad.
Jon
June 7, 2012 at 12:46 AMZach, you know, if something else had been changed in the game, I would be able to trust your word that it would work; but this character, Sam Fisher, syncs, and IS, Michael Ironside to the fans. His voice is the essence of his character. It’s his motivating force to our ears. The simple fact is that the voice needs to be changed back for the fans to be satisfied. This new voice is so off from the characterization that is needed, I would feel uncomfortable every single second I advance in the game playing as this new voice/character that you call the “new” Sam Fisher. Surely, you guys being as smart as you are, you can find a way around this movement/voice issue. If this problem is fixed, if Michael Ironside returns, the majority of the fans will approve of the rest of your changes.
Norm K.
June 7, 2012 at 1:37 AMI don’t care what is done to single player, the only way for any Splinter Cell to succeed is to go old school Multiplayer, The original XBOX Splinter Cell, Pandora Tomorrow, Chaos Theory, and yes even Double Agent had it’s parts of SC greatness. We BEG for the old Splinter Cell online Multiplayer games, they created an experience that made online gaming unique and downright frightful at times. I made life long friends playing those original Splinter Cell games, and there is a large number of gamers just like me that want them back. Please just give us the old Splinter Cell Spies versus Mercs experience. We know it needs newer graphics, gadgets, maps, and the like; But don’t kill the franchise by messing with success( like what was done with SC Conviction). There is nothing like sneaking up on a machine gun toting Merc and snapping their neck. If you fail to heed the warnings the game will flop, I wouldn’t want to be the guy that killed the franchise that made Sam Fisher a household name.
Norm K.
June 7, 2012 at 1:41 AMTo add, the voice is not important to the real fans. Sure, Mr. Ironside was Sam Fisher but I guarantee the fans will buy the game if it goes back to its multiplayer roots.The online experience is key, if you make a SC Conviction 2 it will fail!
Paul K
June 7, 2012 at 2:09 PMSo, you want to push the new gameplay and mocap ? Sure go ahead, but there’s a very important aspect about Sam Fisher that defines him and is Mr Ironside’s voice. Now let’s see this through Ubisoft’s eyes: Fisher is in his 50s, he has destroyed Third Echelon, killed the bad guys and saved the day. But 6 months later he’s back in the frontlines with a younger voice ( because people’s voice changes every 6 months ). Come on guys, really ??? Do you really believe that the fans wouldn’t notice it ? Don’t you think it would make more sense to make Sam the new director and take this new guy to be the new rookie agent ‘ trained by Fisher himself ‘ ? Let’s think about iconic voices changed just to introduce some younger guy in a mocap suit, should we ? How about Nathan Drake voiced by Justin Timberlake ? Optimus Prime voice by Joe Pesci instead of Peter Cullen. Here’s the best, what about if we make a new Star Wars movie based on Darth Vader but instead of hiring James Earl Jones, let’s do it with Mike Tyson !!! In the words of Victor Coste: The Sam Fisher you knew is dead. Sorry Ubisoft, I love your games and SC is my favorite franchise ( even above Assasins Creed ) but I’m not buying SC Blacklist unless you get Mr Ironside to do the voice of Sam or you introduce a new character.
Alex
June 7, 2012 at 2:58 PMTo Mr. Cooper:
It’s really nothing personal. And please don’t think I’m one of those rabid fanboys. Here’s my perspective. I have my qualms with the gameplay direction of the new titles. Conviction really nerved me because of its abandonment of the stealth genre. The problem is though, when I actually played it I couldn’t be mad at it anymore because it was so fun! So basically, I hate Conviction for what it did to the serious but you guys made such a dang good game I can’t stay mad at it!
The problem is the root is you’re changing the very face of Splinter Cell. Sam Fisher IS Splinter Cell, and Michael Ironside IS Sam Fisher. Picture it this way: this would be like taking David Hayter out of Solid Snake. Heck, this would be like taking your favorite lead singer from a band and saying the band was the same. I’ve been playing the Splinter Cell series since I was in middle school. I practically grew up with Sam, and seeing a bastardization of him just would ruin my gameplay experience.
I guess what I’m trying to say is it’s nothing personal, but I don’t have a lot of money. I’m not going to pay $50 for a game that I know I’m not going to like. It’s not that I’m angry at you guys and actively protesting against you or anything. The thing is I’m your consumer, and I’m in no way obligated to purchase your games. If you want me to purchase your games, you have to make games that I’m going to like. And while just me dosen’t matter, the problem is the majority of Splinter Cell fans feel exactly the same way as me.
Cheers!
-Alex
RpiesSPIES
June 7, 2012 at 9:02 PMIronside’s voice is amazing and Fisher is too old to sound like the new guy. Like people who posted before me, giving Fisher a voice-over with someone else doing the motion acting is not difficult at all.
Still waiting for more information about Spies vs Mercs. I’ve loved Splinter Cell through the first in the series and am disappointed in how it’s turning into a much less stealth-based game to appease those appreciating run and gun games. Conviction bored me because it was far too easy because stealth was not even needed. Just run out into the open, mark a few people, kill them all, execute someone, rinse, repeat. The co-op was fun, though. Co-op has always been fun in the series.
But please, reconsider Ironside voice-overing Fisher, and take notes from Chaos Theory and Pandora Tomorrow when you work on Spies vs Mercs (Because DA’s SvM was a disaster and removed all the fun aspects from it). It doesn’t matter that it hurts new players. The ones who will be playing SvM will put in time to learn it and master it while more casual players will play it once or twice, then move on to CoD/BF/MoH because the spies are ‘weak’. Please recreate the old SvM with new graphics, physics, etc. But don’t remove anything, just add and tweak some things :( CT/PT SvM is my all-time favorite multiplayer, and I haven’t been able to play it since the servers went offline, don’t make me suffer any longer :(
Michael
June 7, 2012 at 10:01 PMTo tell you the truth, I could have probably got over the voice. But making sam look young again, Wtf. I would have just been happier seeing sam retire and having a new guy take the lead. Sam supposed to look like he’s in his 50’s not in his 30’s. Looks like this won’t be a purchase for me.
Jesse
June 8, 2012 at 8:04 PMWhoa, whoa, whoa! Guys, remember, Sam is in TOP physical shape. So there’s no reason to believe that he would have to look the “typical 50”. Sam looked “old” in the last game, and DA because he was depressed and grief stricken. Grief can age people SOOO fast. But remember, *spoiler* Sarah’s alive! Sam’s reunited with his best friend, and is back in the Echelon. He’s going to be HAPPY therefor, younger looking. He didnt look old in CT, now did he? The voice; now that IS a handicap to the game, but forgivable. And as far as the gameplay itself, listen i’ve been a SC fan since the original, but i’ve liked the gameplay changes. Remember, the last one wasnt supposed to be stealthy. Sam WANTED to be found. He WANTED to be heard. He didn’t care if people knew he was there or not, because he was just going to kill them anyways. Sam thing in this one. Although, slightly different. Sam’s back with the gov’t, sooo you’d want to cover your tracks, right? Maybe so, which is why they’re integrating the “stealth” back into the game via moving bodies, dragging people away, etc. But, maybe you don’t need to be stealthy. Remember, these guys are terrorists. Whos going to care if they’re found dead or not? So please, as one die-hard to the next, give the game (and new voice) a chance before completely brushing it under the table.
joe
June 8, 2012 at 8:20 PMone of the other comments made a great point. For the hXc fans, hearing the old sam voice does instantly make the other changes instantly forgivable.
Multiplayer should compensate for the likelihood of an open ending and stealth gameplay and open levels leaves room for the running mark-n-execute.
Nothing can really balance out the loss of michael ironside for us fans.
Bring Michael Ironside back, please. If you want to make Sam do things that are out of his usual character, then let us keep Michael Ironside. If you are going to replace his voice actor, then at least let Sam be himself. I don’t think there is much justification in replacing Ironside no matter what auteur or Producer felt otherwise.
I see what you’re saying, Zack and I believe you for the most part but the change of voice actor was a cosmetic change for the designers purposes and hardly one that had the fans in mind. The impact of the voice actor on the character was an opinion stated by the designers and this is ours – we want Michael Ironside back.
I can see they are going back to the concepts of stretching the boundaries of 5th freedoms and I will not argue with that. As a matter of fact, everything about the game interests me EXCEPT for the voice actor. I suppose at this point it would be too late to go back to Ironside but hell, maybe give us a VA option after we beat the game. Once we beat the game, we can go back through it with Mike. That’d be cool. : )