'Splinter Cell 2018' listing briefly appears on Amazon

It's been awhile since we last got our hands on a Splinter Cell, that being the decidedly okay Blacklist in 2013. But an Amazon listing for "Splinter Cell 2018" noticed today by Reddit suggests that the stealth game with the glow-in-the-dark goggles may soon make a return.

The listing is gone so we can't see it for ourselves; fortunately IGN was able to lay eyes on it before it disappeared. That obviously doesn't mean that it's legitimate, but it does confirm that the listing actually existed. And don't forget that Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said in a 2017 AMA that Splinter Cell "is a brand we talk about a lot," and that while there was nothing specific to say at that time, fans should "stay tuned for more."

"What we can say is we're receiving a lot of sketches and proposals around the brand and we're going to pick one up," he said in follow-up comments at last year's E3. "I think you will be able to see something, but you will have to wait for that."

A 2016 rumor that Michael Ironside would return to the role of lead heavy Sam Fisher has probably expired by now, although it's something I'm sure fans would like to see. Ubisoft went with a younger Fisher for Blacklist and it showed, and not in a positive way. "I missed the heart Michael Ironside brought to Fisher," our reviewer wrote. "This is a heartless story, about unaccountable violent people doing unaccountable violent things."

I think it's also sometimes forgotten in the endless quest for grimmer and grittier that Sam Fisher could be a funny guy: The core subject matter was always dark, but early Splinter Cell games, like Chaos Theory, had a real sense of humor. I've reached out to Ubisoft to ask about the leaked listing, but I lack the persuasive talents of Sam so we'll probably just have to wait for E3.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.