Iconic sci-fi RPG franchise Deus Ex looks to be in jeopardy as developer Eidos Montreal confirms layoffs impacting nearly 100 employees.
The studio, known for acclaimed titles like Deus Ex and Guardians of the Galaxy was purchased by Embracer Group from Square Enix in 2022, leading to speculation that a new Deus Ex title was in development.
However, recent events suggest the franchise may now be mothballed.
In a statement posted to Twitter on February 1st, 2024, Eidos Montreal revealed that 97 jobs are being cut across multiple departments, representing nearly 20% of the studio’s total workforce.
The layoffs impact development teams, administration, and support services according to the announcement.
While the statement reaffirmed Eidos Montreal’s “commitment to making the best games” for fans, there was no mention of the rumored new Deus Ex title said to be in early production.
Reports from Bloomberg suggest Eidos Montreal has spent the last two years working on a new Deus Ex RPG series that was expected to enter full production in 2024.
But with nearly 100 employees now losing their jobs, the future of Deus Ex seems uncertain at best.
Embracer Group, the Swedish holding company that purchased Eidos Montreal, has been aggressively acquiring studios over the past few years without clear plans on how to utilize them.
This has led to frequent restructuring and layoffs impacting acquired developers.
Recently they shut down the renowned studio behind the Insurgency series, New World Interactive, as part of a restructuring.
About Deus Ex Series
The Deus Ex series has struggled commercially despite a strong critical reception.
Original developer Ion Storm created the groundbreaking Deus Ex in 2000, but the sequel Deus Ex: Invisible War in 2003 failed to meet expectations.
It took until 2011’s Deus Ex: Human Revolution, developed by Eidos Montreal, for the franchise to make a real comeback.
A sequel called Mankind Divided launched in 2016 but its sales were considered disappointing.
After being purchased by Embracer Group, fans hoped Eidos could finally create a proper third entry in the story started by Human Revolution and Mankind Divided.
Unfortunately, those hopes seem dashed by the recent events.
For now, the future of the Deus Ex IP is unclear.
Eidos Montreal’s statement says the studio will focus on “an original franchise” but provides no details.
The developer is also rumored to be assisting Xbox studio Playground Games on the upcoming Fable reboot.
As Eidos Montreal restructures and lays off employees, the future of Deus Ex is now also uncertain.
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