Ubisoft just updated its Splinter Cell trademark amid reports of a new game

A Splinter Cell trademark has been updated by Ubisoft, amid reports the company is working on a new entry for the series.

The trademark, filed on December 6 (via Justia Trademarks) is a renewal of a previously-filed Splinter Cell trademark from May 2017. The recent set of changes (via TheGamePost), removes the phrase "interactive multi-player computer games" from the filing, replacing it with "providing an online computer game."

That could mean that there'll be online elements to a future Splinter Cell game, but that Ubisoft is walking back some previously-planned PvE or co-op elements. Beyond those details, however, it's difficult to glean much from the refreshed trademark beyond the developer's potential desire to do something with the franchise. 

In October, reports suggested that a new Splinter Cell game partially inspired by the recent Hitman games was in the early stages of development. As recently as last week, separate reports emerged claiming that Ubisoft was working on an open-world take on the Splinter Cell series.

Both reports state that the development projects aren't very far along, so don't expect Sam Fisher's return particularly soon. Still, the new trademark is an official ray of hope for a franchise that hasn't seen a new entry since 2013's Blacklist - the result of Ubisoft's wariness of the pressure of creating a new Splinter Cell game. Other than a VR game announced last September, fans have had a pretty quiet eight years, but perhaps this latest action is the start of a stealthy turnaround.

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