Eidos has confirmed that its new Montreal studio is open for business, and that its inaugural project will be the next chapter in the FPS-RPG hybrid Deus Ex.
The studio is actively recruiting new personnel, with staffing targets of 100 by the end of the year and 350 by 2009. As part of its recruitment drive, the studio will be holding an open house from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on December 1.
“This is a very exciting day for Eidos,” said Eidos Managing Director of Studios Rob Murphy. “Deus Ex is one of our finest franchises, often cited as one of the best PC games of all time. By developing this game at our new cutting-edge Montreal studio we have the opportunity to really push the boundaries of expectation for Deus Ex 3.”
Stephane D’Astous, General Manager at Eidos Montreal, added, “We are thrilled to be working on such a prestigious franchise as Deus Ex in Montreal, which has a well-known reputation as a hotbed for experienced, talented developers. Our new studio enables us to work with a passionate and talented group of people and helps strengthen our position as industry leaders.”
Originally developed by Ion Storm and released in 2000, Deus Ex centered around a nanotechnologically-enhanced government agent caught up in a twisted and conspiracy-laden struggle for domination of the world. The game was widely acclaimed by critics for its blending of FPS and RPG elements, and won numerous industry and gaming magazine awards. A sequel, Deus Ex: Invisible War, was released in 2003 for the PC and Xbox, but was not as well-received critically or commercially.
A brief teaser for Deus Ex 3 is currently available at the Eidos Montreal website, as well as a link to Eidos’ Deus Ex 3 forum.
