Continuing the trend of absolutely depressing gaming news spilling forth from a rotten industry, Swedish video game holding company Embracer Group has cancelled the development of a new Deus Ex game at Eidos-Montreal, resulting in a number of layoffs within the studio.
Embracer Group's trajectory in the past few years has been marked by aggressive expansion through acquisitions, making it Europe's most valuable video game publisher by 2021 - mirroring an explosive growth seen across the industry during the pandemic.
However, the company's rapid growth and subsequent failure to secure a major partnership contributed to a series of setbacks. These include the closure of Square Enix Montréal and Saints Row studio Volition, both under Embracer's umbrella.
While there were earlier rumors circulating about a Deus Ex project, no official announcement had been made prior to its cancellation. Sadly, the cancellation coincides with the announcement of layoffs of 97 people working at Eidos-Montreal on their official X account.
The project, which had been in progress for approximately two years following Embracer's acquisition of Eidos-Montreal in 2022, was abruptly terminated as part of Embracer Group's broader restructuring and cost-cutting initiatives. The now-scrapped Deus Ex game was rumored to be poised to enter full production later this year.