Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist Set To Make a Killing This August

Though not everyone is thrilled with the new direction that Ubisoft is taking with a younger Sam Fisher in its Splinter Cell franchise – and the replacement of long-time voice actor Michael Ironside with the more familiar Nolan North – Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist still looks like a very intriguing product.  And it doesn’t look like it’s too far off from release.

Ubisoft has announced an official release date for the game, saying that it will arrive for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 – with Kinect support – on August 20th.  Developed by Ubisoft Toronto, the game features a stronger emphasis on action, though there will still be plenty of use of high-tech gadgets and stealth to go around.

GameStop and other online retailers have already opened up pre-orders for the game, offering a bevy of goodies for those who put down the cash.  These include a Dead Coast co-op map, Upper Echelon suit and a pair of gold sonar goggles.  Because when Sam Fisher does his job, he wants to do it in style, right?

Look for more coverage on Splinter Cell Blacklist in the weeks ahead.