Summary
- Eidos Montreal is reportedly pitching new ideas for the Deus Ex franchise's revival to external publishers and partners.
- Potential publishers are said to have raised concerns about the franchise being "too niche" and hesitated to commit to the project.
- The new Deus Ex title being pitched is described as having "charm and novelty," deviating from traditional Deus Ex standards.
Deus Ex is reportedly looking to make a return, with its developer, Eidos Montreal, pitching the game to potential partners. Despite being a highly-rated action RPG series, Deus Ex hasn't received a new mainline entry in over eight years, leaving the fans waiting eagerly.
Since the turn of the century, which saw the release of Deus Ex in 2000, the sci-fi franchise has steadily shipped three different sequels, all of which have contributed significantly to its popularity. Its last mainline entry, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, came out in 2016 and enjoyed notable critical praise alongside a strong commercial performance. However, in the years since then, Eidos Montreal has mainly shipped games based on third-party IPs, such as Marvel's Avengers and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. If one January 2024 report is accurate, the Canadian studio's inability to revisit Deux Ex hasn't been for lack of trying, with a related in-development project being reportedly binned by parent company Embracer Group as a cost-cutting measure.
The Future of Deus Ex is Uncertain, But Indies Are Picking Up The Slack
With the Deus Ex franchise on hiatus, it might be time for fans of cyberpunk conspiracy theories to look toward indies for their immersive-sim fix.
In spite of everything, Eidos Montreal is now seemingly keen to make a new Deus Ex game, per Insider Gaming. According to the report, the developer has been "actively" pitching ideas for the franchise's revival to external publishers as well as partners. Despite the Embracer Group-owned company holding these discussions, no commitment was reached with any publisher for a few different reasons. While a couple of parties reportedly pointed to the Deus Ex franchise being "too niche" as one cause of concern, others were apparently not ready to put their money on the IP "at the moment." The source also revealed that the new Deux Ex title being pitched is different from the one that was rumored to have been in the works before being canceled in 2024. Moreover, it shared that the concept was described as having "charm and novelty" and as being different from "the expectations or standards" that are usually associated with Deus Ex.
Deus Ex Return Being Explored by Eidos Montreal
While not heavy on the details, the latest report is certainly an encouraging sign for fans who have been waiting for a new chapter in the Deus Ex saga for the better part of the past decade. Being an established franchise and one that has usually received widespread acclaim, the IP emerges as a comparatively safe bet for the layoff-hit Eidos Montreal to invest its resources in.
In October 2025, it will be four years since Eidos Montreal's latest title, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, hit the shelves. That release took place when the company was still a part of Square Enix and not yet owned by Embracer Group. So, its next game, which could be a new Deus Ex, might not only revive a well-received franchise but would also mark its first project under a new parent organization.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 81%
- Released
- August 23, 2016
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Eidos Montreal
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
