A Spy takes down a Mercenary in Splinter Cell: Blacklist.
Multiplayer refers to a game mode or setting where more than one player participate in a non-campaign setting. Depending on the mode and the video game, players can participate in team-based objectives against other players or they can play in modes with unique and different conditions.
Overview[]
Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow[]
Multiplayer in the Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell series first appeared in Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, where players took part in a multiplayer mode called Spies vs Mercs. In this mode, players take control of members from one of two teams that face each other in a series of objective-based modes. The stealth-based team of Spies compete against the assault-focused team of Mercenaries, both belonging to different factions, Shadownet and ARGUS, respectively. The multiplayer mode featured 3 game modes: Neutralization, Sabotage and Extraction.
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory[]
In Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, multiplayer returned in a similar and improved version of what Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow introduced. Improvements include ledge pulling, coop moves, and more gadgets. The 3 game modes from Pandora Tomorrow have been combined into 1, called Story Mode. It includes Neutralization (hacking computer), Sabotage (planting a bomb), and Extraction (grabbing a HDD, and reaching the extraction point.) The other 2 game modes in Chaos Theory's multiplayer was Disk Hunt which is when disks are scattered around the map, and the spies has to collect them, and Deathmatch mode which includes just killing your opponent.
The Playstation 2 version of Chaos Theory's multiplayer, however got none of these upgrades, and is a Pandora Tomorrow clone, with very slight improvements and some new maps from Chaos Theory.
Splinter Cell: Double Agent (Version 1)[]
In Splinter Cell: Double Agent (Version 1), the game was completely redesigned and is completely different from Chaos Theory and Pandora Tomorrow's Versus modes. This game includes 3v3 instead of the previous games having 2v2. Spies now have less gadgets, and no longer have a tazer. The spies now have remote hacking technology. The mercenary has less gadgets too, and have unlimited ammo. The game was very simplified and many hardcore fans didn't like it.
Splinter Cell: Double Agent (Version 2)[]
Splinter Cell: Conviction[]
In Splinter Cell: Conviction, Spies vs Mercs was removed and replaced with mostly cooperative modes for players to play. The only multiplayer mode (player vs player) is Face-Off, a mode where players face each other in a deathmatch with various degrees of adjustments, such as equipment restrictions, gadgets enabled or disabled, and more. Players can face each other with other enemy AI guards around the map as well.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist[]
In Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Spies vs Mercs returned as a multiplayer mode.