Devoted fans of the Splinter Cell franchise have observed that the upcoming Netflix animated series, Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, includes references to the demise of Douglas Shetland, a character from the games Pandora Tomorrow and Chaos Theory. Ubisoft has now verified that Deathwatch is largely consistent with the video game universe, albeit with a few minor deviations.
According to an Ubisoft representative who spoke with IGN, the animated series “adheres to the established timeline and characters of the main games.” They added, “While Deathwatch honors the original source material, certain creative freedoms were exercised for the television adaptation regarding specific events.”
In essence, this implies that a few retrospective alterations have been made, which cannot yet be disclosed, but the narrative of the series predominantly aligns with the events depicted in the games.
Derek Kolstad, the creator of John Wick and showrunner for Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, commented that “even with references to game elements, the modifications are hopefully minor enough that fans won`t be dissatisfied.”
Kolstad had previously stated that the series` creators needed to “dismantle the core of the source material,” yet “retain its essence, engage its spirit, and endeavor to craft it into a cohesive and effective narrative.”
The latest trailer for the series indicates that the specter of Shetland`s death continues to trouble Sam Fisher (voiced by Liev Schreiber) many years later. This is particularly relevant as Shetland`s daughter, Diana Shetland, has risen to become the CEO of Xanadu, positioning herself as Sam`s new adversary, with her company orchestrating a fresh global crisis.
Netflix is set to launch Splinter Cell: Deathwatch on October 14. For those anticipating new Splinter Cell game content, a remake is currently in development, though substantial updates have been scarce since its announcement in 2022. Earlier this year, Ubisoft did update Splinter Cell: Blacklist (released in 2013) by adding Steam achievements.