In a surprising twist of fate, AdHoc Studio’s debut game, Dispatch, has emerged as one of 2025’s late contenders for game of the year. Founded by former Telltale developers, the studio has navigated a tumultuous journey to see Dispatch released, and it has already sold over 1 million copies. This journey included a stint at Ubisoft San Francisco, where plans for a new Splinter Cell game were abandoned in favor of XDefiant, a games-as-a-service (GaaS) project, following pressure from Ubisoft executives.
The Long Road to Dispatch
Nick Herman, co-founder of AdHoc, shared that after departing Telltale Games in 2017, he and several colleagues joined Ubisoft San Francisco. The studio was initially working on a new Splinter Cell game, which Herman was eager to revitalize. However, the project was shelved due to Ubisoft’s push for a GaaS model, leading to the creation of XDefiant. Herman remarked on the initial excitement, stating, “We were trying to make a narrative GaaS game. We were trying to make that make sense, and a lot of cool prototypes were made.” As the reality of Ubisoft’s focus became apparent, Herman and his team left to establish AdHoc in 2018, ultimately creating Dispatch.
From Splinter Cell to XDefiant
The decision to focus on XDefiant, aiming to compete with Call of Duty, proved short-lived. The game was ultimately shut down a year after its release, and Ubisoft San Francisco faced closure. Meanwhile, under the same executive class that canceled the Splinter Cell project, AdHoc thrived independently, leading to the success of Dispatch. This highlights the resilience and creativity of AdHoc Studio, capable of succeeding where larger studios faltered.
The Future of Splinter Cell
As for the future of the Splinter Cell franchise, Ubisoft Toronto is reportedly working on a remake of the first game, though updates on its progress have been sparse. Fans eagerly await news on whether the classic stealth series will make a triumphant return.