Splinter Cell: Conviction due Feb. 23 on 360, PC

In September 2006, Microsoft announced that it had locked down Xbox 360 and PC exclusivity for the next Splinter Cell game. Now, after multiple delays and extensive technical tinkering, that game finally has a date. To help promote its presence at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show, Ubisoft announced that Splinter Cell: Conviction will ship in North America on February 23, 2010. (The DS spin-off was not mentioned in the announcement.) It will ship during the same month in the UK and the rest of the European Union.

Conviction is set two years after Splinter Cell: Double Agent, which saw series hero Sam Fisher become a fugitive from the FBI, NSA, and Interpol. In the course of investigating his daughter's death, the now-unkempt Fisher discovered that his former employer, the covert organization Third Echelon, has double-crossed him. Avoiding capture, he travels to Washington, DC, to uncover the conspiracy that led to his undeserved disgrace.

Luckily, being on the run doesn't stop Fisher from employing his stealth and combat skills to foil a mysterious--and potentially catastrophic--terrorist threat. It also frees up the former commando from nonlethal rules of engagement, allowing him to kill foes with a variety of ranged and melee methods. To see Splinter Cell: Conviction's deadly skill set and new look in action, investigate the brand-new hands-on video preview below.