Splinter Cell's popularity is held back by its complexity, says Ubisoft Toronto boss

Ubisoft's Splinter Cell series isn't as popular as it could be because of its unforgiving complexity, according to Ubisoft Toronto managing director Jade Raymond.

In an interview with Eurogamer, Raymond, who is in charge of the studio that is developing Splinter Cell: Blacklist, said the series has been held back because "it's still one of the more complex and difficult games to play.

"Even though we do have core fans who are like, 'Oh, I want to have more of this experience,' when you play any other game that has stealth elements, they're a lot more forgiving than Splinter Cell," she said.

Raymond said Splinter Cell "really is a thinking game," where players have to take time to plan out what they do. Where other games allow players to get away with improvising, Splinter Cell requires a thoughtful approach and an understanding of the game's elements. With Blacklist, she says the game will strike more of a balance between the stealth experience that hardcore fans want, and the action-oriented experience that a broader audience might enjoy.

Eurogamer's complete interview with Raymond can be read here.