Operation Blacklist

Lore & Background

In the Splinter Cell universe, the game *Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist* centers on Sam Fisher leading the newly installed Fourth Echelon against a terrorist group called the Engineers. Shortly before the events of Blacklist, Third Echelon is dissolved, and Fisher is recruited by Patricia Caldwell, the acting director of the NSA, to lead Fourth Echelon, operating out of a converted military cargo plane known as 'the Paladin.' The Engineers launch attacks on the United States until it recalls its troops deployed abroad. Fourth Echelon traces the weapons used in an operation on a USAF base in Guam to arms supplier Andriy Kobin, a former target of Fisher's in Benghazi, where Fisher's mission was to extract information from Kobin, not to eliminate him. Through Kobin, they trace buyers to Iraq, where Fisher learns the Engineers' leader is Majid Sadiq, a former MI6 agent. Fourth Echelon prevents an operation targeting Chicago and traces a supplier to Iran-affiliated mercenary broker Reza Nouri, whom Fisher extracts from Paraguay. Nouri supplies information linking the Engineers as a group led by a former MI6 agent, and Sadiq works for a rogue faction within the Iranian government. The game also features the return of the asymmetrical multiplayer mode Spies vs. Mercs, introduced in *Pandora Tomorrow*.

In Their Own Story

Sam Fisher adjusted his night vision goggles, the cold wind biting through his tactical suit as he crouched on the rooftop overlooking the abandoned shipping yard in Shanghai. Below, a convoy of unmarked trucks moved silently toward a hidden dock. 'Kruger's people,' he whispered into his comms. 'They're not just moving weapons; they're moving a list.' The silence of the city was broken only by the distant hum of generators and the crackle of static from his earpiece. He knew this wasn't just another mission—it was the culmination of years of hunting ghosts who had slipped through every net Third Echelon could throw.

Reader's Guide

There is no specific 'Operation Blacklist' mission to guide players through, as the term refers to the game's title rather than a discrete campaign chapter. In *Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist* (2013), players follow Sam Fisher and his team as they track down members of the Engineers terrorist network across multiple global locations. Key objectives include infiltrating secure facilities, intercepting communications, and eliminating high-value targets like Majid Sadiq. The story advances by revealing how these terrorists exploit global instability to launch coordinated attacks, forcing Fourth Echelon to operate outside standard protocols. Character motivations center on Fisher's desire to prevent mass casualties while navigating political constraints that often hinder his effectiveness. Each mission reveals layers of the conspiracy, showing how rogue cells manipulate international events for their own gain.

Did You Know?

• The game's protagonist Sam Fisher is voiced and motion-captured by Eric Johnson, replacing Michael Ironside, who was unable to reprise the role after being diagnosed with cancer.
• The Wii U version of the game was developed by Ubisoft Shanghai, while the multiplayer was developed by Ubisoft Toronto, and it was not shipped with the cooperative mode.
• The game's multiplayer functionality was originally set to shut down on September 1, 2022, but was later delayed to October 1, 2022.
• The game sold two million units in its first month of release, which was considered a commercial success.
• The Engineers' leader is Majid Sadiq, a former MI6 agent, and the group is led by a former MI6 agent, with Sadiq working for a rogue faction within the Iranian government.

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