Ubisoft's Splinter Cell series once ceased to exist during the PS4/Xbox One era, but the company is finally bringing it back after an eight-year hiatus.

Previous reports had suggested that the Splinter Cell series would return, but today (December 15) we finally received official confirmation from Ubisoft itself. This is exciting news for fans of the franchise and for the stagnant stealth game genre as a whole.

As detailed in a post on Ubisoft's website, Ubisoft Toronto is leading the charge for a Splinter Cell remake. According to that posting, the game will be "reworked from the ground up" and will use the company's proprietary Snowdrop engine to deliver "a new generation of visuals and gameplay."

According to comments from producer Matt West, the title will be a full remake of the original game released in 2002. We're still in the early stages of development, but we're trying to make sure that the spirit of the early game is intact in every way that formed the identity of the early 'Splinter Cell' games," West said.

The "Splinter Cell" remake is being rebuilt from the ground up, so it will have updated visuals as well as design elements appropriate for a modern title.

"Redefining stealth action" was the tagline of the original game and served as the "North Star" for the team working on the remake. The phrase is consistent with the team's desire to redefine how a stealth game should feel to the modern gamer.

However, the core gameplay will not change from the "Splinter Cell" you know and love. It is still essential to carefully observe your surroundings, plan ahead, make use of gadgets, and creatively outwit your enemies.

Regarding the smaller map of the original "Splinter Cell" (compared to the larger maps of later works), West says: "Every square inch is either part of an option, directly offers an option, or directly affects it. Gameplay density is at the forefront of 'Splinter Cell,' and that will be really, really important to us." Nevertheless, there will be a myriad of ways for players to complete missions.

This remake of Splinter Cell is reminiscent of Capcom's reboots of Resident Evil 2 and 3. As such, one would expect a storyline and mission scenarios similar to the original titles, only with modern AAA graphics and a more user-friendly UI and controls.

In that regard, it will be interesting to see if this remake, like the original "Splinter Cell," will be a mission failure the moment it is discovered. Like in "Metal Gear Solid," it would be fine if an alternative means was available to complete the mission even if the enemy found it.

As a Splinter Cell fan, I am very excited about this remake. Also, given that most of Ubisoft's core franchises are huge open-world epics, it would be refreshing to have a focused experience that never takes more than 100 hours to complete.

It may be a little while before we finally get to play the "Splinter Cell" remake, as there is no word yet on when it will appear. However, it will be nice to see that the "Hitman" series will no longer be the only AAA stealth series on the market.

Stay tuned for more news on the Splinter Cell remake.