Splinter Cell Blacklist won't feature a main menu, it has been revealed.

The stealth-action sequel will instead bridge together its missions and modes with a hub area that's explored by the player using Sam Fisher.

Missions will be selected by talking to fellow agents, or from a map screen that also displays the status of online friends for co-op opportunities.

Each of the four agents will give Fisher different types of co-op missions. Grimm offers Ghost playstyle objectives, for example. Fisher's relationship with each of the agents will change as the story evolves.

The hub area ties into the story of Forth Echelon being a covert unit that's situated in a plane, travelling the globe and chasing leads in multiple countries.

The idea to drop a menu came from creative director Maxime Beland's frustrations with how multiplayer modes often feel disconnected from the campaign.

Instead of modes feeling like separate games, he said he wants "everything to be connected".

It will also see money earned in all modes contribute to the same unified economy, the SMI (Strategic Mission Interface).

Money can be spent on customisable loadouts to take into campaign and co-op missions, upgrading Sam Fisher's suit, gadget, goggles and weapons.

The plane itself can also be upgraded, helping to improve the in-game radar as well as boost the health regeneration speed in the campaign and co-op.

"When you're playing [most games] often it feels like single-player is like a tutorial to play adversarial, or there's co-op but it's an after thought and it's just like some missions on the side that has no value," Beland told Digital Spy.

"For us, we've tried to make a game where everything has a lot of value, and everything was rewarded the same way.

"So basically the idea is regardless of where you play, you're going to be making money."

Beland compared the economy's potential to MMOs, allowing players to "grind" in other modes to create a stronger, upgraded Sam Fisher back into the campaign.

Ubisoft

"If you want, you could buy the game, skip the first mission, and play 30 hours of co-op with your friends, go through the entire co-op content," he said.

"Upgrade Sam, upgrade the plane, upgrade everything, then start playing single-player, because that's what we do, right?

"Just like an MMO, if you want to not do the quests and just grind on the side until you're super strong, you can do it, it's your game.

"I'm a strong believer in it's my game until we release it, and then it's your game. So you want to play how you want."

Beland added that while he is "super stressed" about the idea of "shipping a game without main menus", he's "hoping it's this fluid experience that feels natural".

The Spies Vs Mercs multiplayer mode has also been fully revealed by Ubisoft, offering an updated 'Blacklist' mode with more players and customisation, as well as a 'Classic' version.

Splinter Cell Blacklist will be available on Xbox 360, PS3, PC and Wii U from August 23 in Europe and August 30 in North America.

Watch a Spies vs Mercs trailer for Splinter Cell Blacklist below:

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