Marc Hernandez (game designer) van Splinter Cell: Conviction heeft in een interview uitleg gegeven over het hardere geweld in de game. Vooral de close combat gevechten zijn realistisch hard, want hier wordt gebruik gemaakt van het Israëlische vechtsysteem Krav Maga.

In SCC, Sam Fisher is on a personal quest and he doesn't follow the same code he used to. That's the reason why Sam is more violent. Everything is about effectiveness.

Sam needs to get information? He will do what he needs to get them. Even if it means smashing the American flag into the collarbone of a drug dealer (yes, you can actually do that in the game).

Similarly, if someone stands between Sam and his goal, he's going to be brutal, he's going to be efficient and he is going to use the best technique. And when it comes to close combat, Krav maga is the perfect match. This Israeli self-defense system is not a martial art. It was derived from street-fighting and emphasizes aggression and offensive maneuvers.

When we were looking for a fighting style for Sam, the choice seemed obvious. We met with international instructors to adapt those fighting techniques to Sam's personality and available tools. Krav maga is quite a versatile discipline and we were able to include gun shots in Sam's close quarter combat moves. We worked with the best athletes through motion capture sessions to get the best possible result in game.

Obviously, the stealth aspect was one of our primary concerns and, even if the moves look impressive and violent, they're always silent and provide an excellent option to get rid of your enemies while remaining undetected.