Splinter Cell: Blacklist Gets Surprise Steam Achievement Update—12 Years Later

Sam Fisher’s not back yet—but Ubisoft hasn’t forgotten him.

Ubisoft has quietly updated Splinter Cell: Blacklist with Steam Achievements, offering longtime fans of the stealth-action series a small but meaningful surprise while anticipation for the Splinter Cell remake continues to build.

Originally released in 2013, the game received this unexpected update on Steam with a message from Ubisoft:

“Agents, we are pleased to announce that Steam Achievements are now available for Splinter Cell: Blacklist!”

For players who already completed achievements through Ubisoft Connect, there’s good news—those accomplishments will automatically sync to Steam. All that’s required is to launch the game once, after which eligible achievements will unlock retroactively.

Ubisoft also made a thoughtful move by removing 19 online-specific achievements that relied on now-defunct services. This ensures players can still reach 100% completion on Steam without being blocked by inaccessible content.

While the update doesn’t bring new gameplay content, it serves as a timely nod to the franchise. The Splinter Cell Remake is still in development, with Ubisoft Toronto reimagining the original 2002 game using the Snowdrop engine.

Part of a Larger Ubisoft Revival?

The Blacklist update is the latest in a string of enhancements to older Ubisoft titles. In recent weeks, the publisher has also:

• Added Steam achievements to games like Watch Dogs, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, and Far Cry 3

• Released 60 FPS performance patches for older Far Cry entries on PlayStation 5, including Far Cry 4 and Far Cry New Dawn

These small but fan-friendly moves are part of a wider effort by Ubisoft to revitalize its back catalog, potentially as a way to rebuild goodwill following a difficult few years.

That difficult stretch included game cancellations, studio closures, layoffs, and a historic low in share price. But signs of recovery are emerging—Assassin’s Creed Shadows recently passed 3 million players, and Ubisoft has created a new internal subsidiary focused on Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six—backed by a €1.16 billion ($1.25 billion) investment from Chinese tech giant Tencent.