In the gaming community, nothing stings quite like the radio silence around a beloved franchise. That’s the current plight of the Deus Ex universe, which has been on a hiatus for years. However, after Square Enix’s fire sale last year, many believed that Embracer Group would put its newest investments to work immediately. Unfortunately, as per Elias Toufexis, the voice behind the series’ protagonist Adam Jensen, this isn’t the case.
Toufexis recently took to Twitter to express his disappointment at not being involved in a new Deus Ex project. This has led fans to feel disappointed as they speculate about the franchise’s future.
“Yeah, as happy as I am to be busy, I wish I was even more busy on a new Deus Ex,” Toufexis remarked on Twitter, which is as candid as a tweet can get and clarifies any rumors about a new Deus Ex game being in the works. Don’t forget, this isn’t just idle chit-chat from a relatively minor player; Toufexis portrayed the main protagonist Adam Jensen in Deus Ex: Human Revolution and its sequel, Mankind Divided. His voice is synonymous with Jensen’s cybernetically-enhanced persona. So, when he says he’s heard nothing about reprising his role, we should take it seriously.
The Deus Ex series, originally created by Eidos Montreal and published by Square Enix, underwent a surprising change in ownership last year. The intellectual property was purchased by Embracer Group, a Swedish conglomerate known for its penchant for buying developers, publishers, and properties. It’s possible Embracer is still figuring out what to do with their newly acquired cybernetic baby.
Yeah, as happy as I am to be busy, I wish I was even more busy on a new Deus Ex.
I am not under any NDA for Deus Ex because no one has called me about it. Truly. https://t.co/eup2dSst1r— ᴇʟɪᴀꜱ ᴛᴏᴜꜰᴇxɪꜱ 🖖 (@EliasToufexis) July 8, 2023
However, Embracer’s recent troubles could complicate the future of Deus Ex. An undisclosed deal expected to bring it $2 billion over six years to Embracer recently fell through, prompting the company to undergo a major restructuring, including layoffs and cancellations of unannounced projects. With these tumultuous changes, even if a new Deus Ex game was in development, its future might be uncertain.
Interestingly, a Bloomberg report by Jason Schreier in November indicated a new Deus Ex project in the “very, very early” stages of development at Eidos Montreal. This information, if true, could be promising. However, nine months later, we’re left questioning if that “very” still has a companion or if it’s now riding solo. Given the recent developments, it’s possible that the project was delayed, repurposed, or even canceled.
It’s important to consider that, in modern game development, voice recording often comes late in the process, usually after the script has been finalized. This could mean that Toufexis hasn’t been looped in yet, despite being the franchise’s leading man. But given Jensen’s iconic status, one could argue it’s never too early to secure recognized talent.
Alternatively, a reboot of the Deus Ex franchise might be in the cards. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time a gaming series has hit the reset button after a change in ownership. A reboot won’t involve Jensen as the main character, meaning Toufexis might not be involved, at least not in the same capacity.
It’s also worth noting that Deus Ex’s narrative arc feels unfinished. Mankind Divided ended on a tantalizing cliffhanger that left fans yearning for more. Many felt that the game was the middle part of a trilogy waiting to be completed. A reboot is a sign that it will have to abandon this narrative thread, much to the dismay of fans.
Yet, the future is still full of possibilities. It’s not beyond the realms of feasibility that Embracer will see the value in the Deus Ex franchise and continue its legacy. Despite the turmoil, Embracer still has an impressive slate of games set to release in the next year, including Remnant 2, Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2, and Payday 3, to name a few. This shows that the company is still capable of producing high-profile titles.
Fingers crossed, we’ll hear more about the next Deus Ex game, along with a potential Legacy of Kain reboot, sooner rather than later.
