Splinter Cell Blacklist features two distinct types of multiplayer, detailed below.
Spies vs. Mercs
The Spies vs Mercs mode was first introduced in Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow and returns for Blacklist, under the supervision of Gunther Galipot who worked as Creative Director on Pandora Tomorrow's multiplayer.
Spies vs Mercs pits a team of lightly-armed Spies (who view the world from a third person perspective and have similar abilities to the single-player protagonist Sam Fisher) against a team of heavily-armed Mercs (who view the world from a first person perspective). Both sides have differing strengths, leading to tactical play.
Known modes in Blacklist are "Classic", which features the traditional 2 vs 2 gameplay of Pandora Tomorrow - and "Blacklist" which features 4 vs 4 along with additional gadgets and three classes on each side.
Co-op
Story-based co-op was first introduced in Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and has appeared in Double Agent and Conviction.
In Blacklist, the co-op missions are split into different play styles, with each mission type received from a different member of the Fourth Echelon team. Anna Grímsdóttir for example, offers heavily stealth-focussed missions, while Isaac Briggs assignments are skewed towards the Panther playstyle. Blacklist features 16 co-op maps, with players taking on the roles of Sam Fisher and Isaac Briggs.
