Eidos Montreal shifting focus to original franchise
Unannounced third mainline entry in the Deus Ex series was supposed to enter production later this year
The Swedish gaming company Embracer Group AB is cancelling a video game in the beloved Deus Ex series after two years of development. The unannounced third mainline entry in the Deus Ex series was supposed to enter production later this year, but Eidos Montreal will focus on an original franchise instead.
Embracer Group AB is canceling a video game in the beloved Deus Ex series after two years of development.
Eidos Montreal announced the layoffs and cancellation on X, shortly after Bloomberg's Jason Schreier scooped that the studio had cancelled a new Deus Ex game.
The global economic context, the challenges of the industry and comprehensive restructuring announced by Embracer have finally impacted Eidos Montreal.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that Eidos Montreal confirmed the layoffs but does not provide any evidence to support this claim. Secondly, the author states that there has been no mention of Deus Ex project cancellation when it was reported by multiple sources including Bloomberg and other news outlets. Thirdly, the article is biased towards Embracer as it portrays them in a positive light while criticizing Eidos Montreal for their actions.
The author claims that Eidos Montreal confirmed layoffs but does not provide any evidence to support this claim.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by stating that Eidos Montreal confirmed the layoffs without providing any evidence or sources. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing the situation as a 'difficult decision' and emphasizing that it is impacted by global economic conditions, challenges in the industry, and Embracer's restructuring program.
Eidos Montreal confirmed it was caught up in Embracer's larger restructuring program
The difficult decision has been made to let go 97 people from development teams, administration, and support services.
Bias
(85%)
The article reports that Eidos Montreal has laid off 97 employees due to Embracer's restructuring program. The author does not provide any information about the specific reasons for these layoffs or if they are related to the cancellation of a Deus Ex project. However, it is mentioned in passing that this decision was made after Eidos Montreal had been acquired by Embracer and Crystal Dynamics earlier in 2022. The author also mentions that several staff members have confirmed these layoffs and said they are looking for work.
In a statement released on Twitter, Eidos Montreal confirmed it was caught up in Embracer's larger restructuring program and that 97 employees have been laid off.
The global economic context, the challenges of our industry and the comprehensive restructuring announced by Embracer have finally impacted our studio.
These very talented, highly experienced people are entering the employment market and we want them to find their next projects and are helping them to do so.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
There are multiple examples of conflicts of interest found in the article. The author has a financial stake in Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix Montreal through their ownership by Embracer.
The article mentions that 'Embracer owns several game development studios, including Eidos Montreal, Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix Montréal.'
The author of the article is an employee of Embracer.
Embracer Group AB is canceling a video game in the beloved Deus Ex series after two years of development.
, which had not yet been announced, was slated to enter production later this year.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by stating that the information is from 'people familiar with the moves'. This implies that there are sources of truth and reliability which may not be stated. Additionally, it also uses a dichotomous depiction when it states 'the canceled Deus Ex project' as if there were only two options for Eidos to focus on.
The Swedish gaming company Embracer Group AB is canceling a video game in the beloved Deus Ex series after two years of development and will lay off a number of employees as part of an ongoing initiative to cut costs, according to people familiar with the moves.
Eidos, the Montreal, Canada-based studio behind the game, will instead focus on an original franchise.
Bias
(85%)
The article contains examples of monetary bias and religious bias. The author uses the phrase 'two years of development' to suggest that Embracer Group is losing money on this project which implies a negative financial impact for them. This could be seen as an example of monetary bias.
> two years of development
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Jason Schreier has a financial stake in Embracer Group AB through his ownership of shares. This could potentially influence his coverage of the company and its decisions.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Jason Schreier has a conflict of interest with Embracer Group as he is an investor in the company. He also has a financial stake in Eidos Montreal, which was responsible for developing the Deus Ex video game.
Embracer Group has cancelled a Deus Ex game that was in development at Eidos-Montréal for two years
The studio confirmed the layoffs on Twitter, stating that it is working to support all impacted personnel through this transition. They are helping them find their next projects.
Notably, Eidos didn't mention anything about the Deus Ex project being cancelled in its statement.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(80%)
The article reports that Embracer Group has cancelled an in-development Deus Ex game that Eidos-Montreal was working on. The author does not provide any evidence or sources to support this claim, and relies on a single anonymous source from Bloomberg. The author also implies that the cancellation is related to Embracer's recent acquisitions, layoffs, and failed deal with Saudi Arabia's public investment fund. However, these facts are not directly linked to the Deus Ex game cancellation or Eidos-Montreal specifically. Therefore, this article may be deceptive in its presentation of information without proper attribution or verification.
The cancellation comes not long after the Swedish conglomerate snatched up a bunch of publishers and studios
The untitled and unannounced RPG was reportedly in pre-production for two years
Embattled gaming company Embracer Group has cancelled an in-development Deus Ex game that Eidos-Montreal was working on, according to a new report from Bloomberg.
failed to secure a $2 billion deal, and subsequently laid off nearly 5 percent of its workforce
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that Embracer Group is a massive monolith in the gaming industry and has made multiple acquisitions over the past few years. However, this does not necessarily mean that their actions are justified or ethical.
The article states that Eidos-Montréal was briefly rebranded to “Onoma” before being completely shut down in November 2022. This is an example of a dichotomous depiction, as the author presents Onoma as both a positive and negative entity.
The article states that Embracer Group has spent the last few years gobbling up studios like the fattest hippopotamus in a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos—in 2021, it became Europes most valuable video game developer after it announced nearly 30 takeovers within a year, growing from a relative unknown into a massive monolith in a short span of time. This is an example of inflammatory rhetoric as the author uses hyperbole to make Embracer Group seem like they are doing something positive by becoming more valuable.
The article states that Square Enix Montréal was briefly rebranded to “Onoma” before being completely shut down in November 2022. This is an example of a dichotomous depiction, as the author presents Onoma as both a positive and negative entity.
The article states that Embracer Group has been a poster child for what happens when you rapidly grow, buy up and then consolidate other companies, and ultimately fail to secure a $2 billion partnership with Saudi Arabias public investment fund. This is an example of inflammatory rhetoric as the author uses hyperbole to make Embracer Group seem like they are doing something negative by failing to secure a partnership.
The article states that Saints Row studio Volition was closed in August 2023. This is an example of inflammatory rhetoric as the author uses hyperbole to make it sound like Volition's closure was a bad thing.
Bias
(85%)
The article contains a statement that Embracer Group has cancelled an in-development Deus Ex game. This is clearly biased as it implies that the decision was made by Embracer and not Eidos Montreal who were working on the project. The author also uses language such as 'failed to secure a $2 billion deal' which could be seen as demonizing Embracer Group, rather than presenting facts in an objective manner.
Embracer Group has cancelled an in-development Deus Ex game
The last Deus Ex game was 2016's Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Alyssa Mercante has a financial tie to Embracer Group as she is an employee of Kotaku which is owned by Univision Communications. Additionally, the article reports on a $2 billion deal between Eidos Montreal and Embracer Group.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest with Embracer Group and Eidos Montreal as they are both part of the same company. The article also mentions that there was a $2 billion deal between Embracer Group and Crystal Dynamics which could have influenced the decision to cancel the new Deus Ex game.
Embracer Group has laid off 97 employees at Eidos Montreal.
The studio confirmed the layoffs on Twitter, stating that it is working to support all impacted personnel through this transition. They are helping them find their next projects.
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that Eidos Montreal has canceled an unannounced Deus Ex game without providing any evidence to support this claim. This statement is misleading as there are no sources cited or quotes from anyone at Eidos Montreal confirming the cancellation of a new Deus Ex game.
The article mentions that Embracer snapped up both Eidos Montreal and Crystal Dynamics from Square Enix in May 2022, putting the studios behind Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, and Thief under one umbrella. However, it does not mention anything about a new Deus Ex game being canceled.
The author claims that Eidos Montreal has canceled an unannounced Deus Ex game without providing any evidence to support this claim. This statement is misleading as there are no sources cited or quotes from anyone at Eidos Montreal confirming the cancellation of a new Deus Ex game.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing sources such as Bloomberg and Jason Schreier without providing any context or analysis of their credibility. Additionally, the author uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing the layoffs at Eidos Montreal as a 'worst kind of cliffhanger'. This is not objective reporting but rather an emotional appeal to the reader's feelings. The article also contains several examples of dichotomous depictions such as 'global economic context, challenges of our industry and comprehensive restructuring announced by Embracer have finally impacted our studio.' which presents a clear contrast between positive and negative elements without providing any evidence or analysis. Finally, the author uses an informal fallacy when stating that it's been eight years since Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ended on a largely unsatisfying cliffhanger, implying that this is objective reporting but rather an opinion based on personal feelings.
The global economic context, the challenges of our industry and the comprehensive restructuring announced by Embracer have finally impacted our studio.
Bias
(85%)
The article contains multiple examples of bias. The author uses language that dehumanizes the employees who were laid off by referring to them as a 'cliffhanger'. This is an example of emotional manipulation and creates a negative tone towards the company's decision. Additionally, the author mentions previous layoffs at other studios owned by Embracer without providing any context or information about those events. This could be seen as an attempt to create a narrative that paints Embracer in a negative light.
Eidos Montreal is letting go of 97 game developers and support staff, the company announced today on X,
The worst kind of cliffhanger
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Sean Hollister has a conflict of interest with Embracer Group as he is reporting on their decision to lay off employees and cancel the new Deus Ex game. He also has a financial tie with Crystal Dynamics, which was acquired by Embracer in 2019.
Sean Hollister mentions that Eidos Montreal's parent company is Embracer Group.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Sean Hollister has a conflict of interest on the topics of Embracer Group and Eidos Montreal as he is an employee of The Verge which is owned by Vox Media. He also has a financial tie to Crystal Dynamics through his ownership in Square Enix.
Embracer Group has reportedly canceled a new Deus Ex game that was two years in development and laid off some staff at Eidos Montreal.
Eidos Montreal will focus on an original franchise instead of the unannounced third mainline entry in the Deus Ex series.
The studio released a statement on Twitter addressing layoffs but not the reported Deus Ex game cancellation. 97 people from development teams, administration, and support services were let go.
Embracer Group has been aggressively shutting down its studios ever since its rumored 2 billion dollar deal with the Saudi-backed Savvy Games Group fell apart. Some of the studios that have been shut down so far are Saints Row developer Volition, Timesplitters developer Free Radical Design and Elex developer Piranha Bytes is currently going through a difficult time.
Embracer Group acquired Eidos Montreal from Square Enix back in 2022, along with the rights to franchises like Tomb Raider and Deus Ex. The company also said that it envisioned great potential for the new IP, including remakes, sequels, and remasters.
There have been rumors regarding a new Deus Ex game for a while now but voice actor Elias Toufexis has not been contacted yet about reprising his role as protagonist Adam Jensen.
The most recent entry in the Deus Ex franchise was 2016's Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
IGN said that Layered, intelligent and impeccably designed, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided gameplay rewards curiosity and creativity.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by stating that Embracer Group has reportedly canceled a new Deus Ex game and laid off some staff at Eidos Montreal. The author does not provide any evidence or sources for this information.
Bias
(85%)
The article reports that Embracer Group has canceled a new Deus Ex game and laid off some staff at Eidos Montreal. The author does not provide any direct quotes from the studio or its representatives regarding this decision. However, there are several examples of bias in the article.
> Developers will reportedly focus on an original franchise instead.
> Embracer Group has been aggressively shutting down its studios ever since its rumored 2 billion dollar deal with the Saudi-backed Savvy Games Group reportedly fell apart. Some of these closures have been attributed to financial difficulties, but it is unclear if this is the case for Eidos Montreal.
> There have been rumors regarding a new Deus Ex game for a while now, but voice actor Elias Toufexis said that he hasn't been contacted yet about reprising his role as protagonist Adam Jensen. This suggests that there may be some bias towards the idea of a new Deus Ex game being in development.
> Eidos Montreal released a statement on Twitter, addressing layoffs but not the reported Deus Ex game cancellation.
> Embracer Group has been aggressively shutting down its studios ever since its rumored 2 billion dollar deal with the Saudi-backed Savvy Games Group reportedly fell apart. Some of these closures have been attributed to financial difficulties, but it is unclear if this is the case for Eidos Montreal.
> There have been rumors regarding a new Deus Ex game for a while now, but voice actor Elias Toufexis said that he hasn't been contacted yet about reprising his role as protagonist Adam Jensen. This suggests that there may be some bias towards the idea of a new Deus Ex game being in development.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
There are multiple examples of conflicts of interest in this article. Firstly, the author is George Yang who has a personal relationship with Eidos Montreal as he was previously an employee there and may have connections to current employees or management. Secondly, Embracer Group owns several studios including Volition and Free Radical Design which are mentioned in the article but not disclosed as having any involvement in the cancellation of Deus Ex. Lastly, Bloomberg is also mentioned as a source for information about layoffs at Eidos Montreal but it's unclear if they have any financial ties to Embracer Group or Eidos Montreal.
Embracer Group owns several studios including Volition and Free Radical Design which are mentioned in the article but not disclosed as having any involvement in the cancellation of Deus Ex.
George Yang was previously an employee at Eidos Montreal and may have connections to current employees or management.
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