Deus Ex on Hold: Eidos Montreal Lays Off Staff, Cancels Unannounced Title

A major blow to the Deus Ex franchise as Embracer Group, the game's current owner, reportedly cancels an unannounced sequel that was two years in development. This comes alongside layoffs at Eidos Montreal, the studio behind the series' recent entries.

Bloomberg reports that the Deus Ex project, intended to be the third mainline game, was set to begin full production later this year. However, according to sources, Eidos Montreal has shifted its focus to an original IP instead.

The studio acknowledged the layoffs in a Twitter statement, citing "the global economic context, the challenges of our industry, and the comprehensive restructuring announced by Embracer" as reasons for the difficult decision to let go of 97 employees across development, administration, and support services.

This news adds to the growing unease surrounding Embracer Group's recent acquisitions and restructuring efforts. Since a rumored multi-billion dollar deal with Savvy Games Group fell through, the company has shuttered several studios, including Saints Row developer Volition and Timesplitters developer Free Radical Design. Elex developer Piranha Bytes is also facing potential closure and struggling to secure funding for its next project.

Embracer acquired Eidos Montreal from Square Enix in 2022, gaining ownership of franchises like Tomb Raider and Deus Ex. The company expressed optimism for the "great potential" of these IPs, including potential remakes, sequels,and remasters. Rumors of a new Deus Ex game have circulated for some time, but voice actor Elias Toufexis, who portrays protagonist Adam Jensen, has not been contacted about reprising his role.