The latest instalment of the futuristic RPG Deux Ex has been shelved.
Despite being two years into its development, gaming giant Embracer Group decided to shut down the secret project, according to a Bloomberg report.
The move is the upshot of layoffs at the game’s developer Eidos, a Montreal-based studio that had overseen all but the first two Deux Ex titles in the six-pronged series.
In a statement shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, Eidos said it had let go of 97 people because of “the global economic context, the challenges of our industry and the comprehensive restructuring announced by Embracer".
Arriving at the turn of the millennium, the first Deux Ex was a paranoid thriller about the harmful effects of a profit-driven society. Although its visuals may look subpar by today’s standards, the game’s rewarding mix of exploration and discovery was way ahead of its time.
Its story of humans modifying their bodies using nanotechnology, along with its mix of stealth and shooter gameplay, left a mark on the gaming world. More than two decades after its release, the quest developer of Cyberpunk 2077 name-dropped Deus Ex as one of the game’s biggest inspirations.
— Eidos-Montréal (@EidosMontreal) January 29, 2024
Several sequels followed, with Deus Ex: Indivisible War bringing the series to Xbox in 2006. But it was Eidos that reignited interest in the franchise with the acclaimed Deus Ex: Human Revolution in 2011 and its follow-up, Mankind Divided in 2016.
The last of those was also set for a direct sequel but that was canned because of concerns about the series’ profitability. In all, the Deus Ex franchise has sold more than 14 million copies worldwide. It was acquired by Embracer in 2022, along with other properties including Tomb Raider, Thief and Legacy of Kain.
Eidos isn’t the only developer to be hit with staff cuts. Over the past year, Pokemon Go studio Niantic, Ubisoft and Naughty Dog have axed projects and layoffs have swept through the industry. The firings are a reaction to plummeting electronics sales following a boom during the pandemic.
