The release ofCyberpunk 2077has created implications about how the video game industry going forward. Development struggles and subsequent post-release controversy aside, whileCyberpunk 2077wasn’t the choice-heavy RPGits developer promised, the hype surrounding the game has proven one thing - there is demand for games that take advantage of the cyberpunk genre.
That demand especially extends to a game that understands what made its inspirations great while building upon them, asking questions of its own while still setting itself apart. Furthermore, there is demand for immersive-sim style RPGs that offer the players many different choices of how to approach missions. Basically it’s time for Square Enix to make a newDeus Exgame.
The Impact Of Deus Ex
TheDeus Exfranchise is one of the highest regarded examples of the cyberpunk genre in video games, taking a head-on approach to the topics of transhumanism while incorporating elements such as hacking and body modification into game design. While Square Enix put the franchise on hold following the underwhelming sales performance ofDeus Ex: Mankind Divided,allowing Eidos Montreal to developShadow of the Tomb Raiderand assist development onMarvel’s Avengers, it’s been almost 5 years since players experienced the world ofDeus Ex.
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The originalDeus Exreleased in 2000 and was developed by Ion Storm. The team was led by key personnel behind Looking Glass Studios,the developer responsible for titles such asThiefandSystem Shock, some of the very first titles in the immersive sim genre. The game was praised for its complex level designs and implementation of its cyberpunk themes through its mechanics. Unfortunately, whileHuman Revolutionrevitalized the series with its release in 2011, theDeus Exseries has never been a major financial success for Eidos or Square Enix.
Furthermore, while the immersive sim genre thatDeus Exhelped pioneer still mostly exists in obscurity, with recent titles in the genre such asDishonoredandPreygarnering cult status but underperforming financially, the genrehas helped inform many mainstream franchises, such as major RPGs likeThe Elder Scrollsand many first-person shooter franchises, namelyBioShock. All this is to say that a newDeus Exgame could reignite the franchise, helping it achieve popularity surpassing the likes ofDeus Ex: Human Revolution’s success in 2011.
The Potential Of A Next-Gen Deus Ex Game
It’s almost impossiblenot to compare the likes ofCyberpunk 2077toDeus Ex, with the game taking major elements fromDeus Ex’s core design and incorporating them into an open-world city setting. Likewise, this type of game design could help inform a futureDeus Extitle. WhileHuman RevolutionandMankind Dividedtook place in multiple small open-worlds, it might be time to takeDeus Exfully open-world, creating a fleshed-out city for the players to interact with.
This could provide excellent opportunities for the series' world-building to come into play, asDeus Ex: Mankind Divided’sworld would change depending on the player’s actions, with an infamous example being that murdering a merchant in any of the game’s stores would cause the store to close for good, leaving it inaccessible for the rest of the game.
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Given thebroader memory capabilities of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, this type of approach to consequence could inform how Eidos Montreal approaches an open-worldDeus Extitle, such as choices the player makes in the game’s story causing groups of pro or anti-augmentation protestors to rise up and start appearing around the city while also opening a new optional questline. The sky is the limit for potential ways the expansive world ofDeus Excould react to the player’s actions in the context of an open-world, and despite its flaws,Cyberpunk 2077of all games has proven that.
It’s Now Or Never
A major influencing factor into why Square Enix has been hesitant to continue theDeus Exfranchise is that, despiteHuman RevolutionandMankind Dividedperforming well, the series has never managed to justify its incredible sense of polish through high sales numbers, and after the catastrophic financial loss that Square Enix sawwithMarvel’s Avengers, the company is unlikely to take any ambitious risks with its western-developed titles for the foreseeable future.
While this means fans may not see a major, open-worldDeus Exgame any time soon, it could also be the perfect time for Square Enix to fall back on old IP in a way that satisfies fans to recoup costs. While the studio’s Japanese output only increases in quality and sales growth, Square Enix has always struggled with its western studios. From the unrealistic sales expectations put onSleeping Dogsto the split from IO Interactive after the completion ofHitmanin 2017, the only western franchises Square Enix hasseen any concrete success from areDeus ExandTomb Raider.
Furthermore, just last year Square Enix announced the creation of Eidos Sherbrooke, a new studio created to assist research and development of Eidos games going forward. Given that the studio has been supporting the development ofMarvel’s Avengerssince the release ofShadow of the Tomb Raider, it’s safe to assume that Eidos is beginning work on its next major title, and given thatDeus Exwas put on hold until more resources were available, it seems fairly likely that fans will see a new entry in the series in the next few years.
