After a few years with both the Tomb Raider and Deus Ex franchises in unclear directions, its former developers take charge of them once again.
“We are excited to inform you that Crystal Dynamics has taken control of several game franchises—including TOMB RAIDER and Legacy of Kain—from the games’ previous owner, Square Enix Limited.
As a result of this change, Crystal Dynamics (or its affiliate) is now the owner of these games and the controller of the gameplay and personal data related to them. If you’d like to know more, please refer to our new Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.
We look forward to taking this new and exciting journey with you!”
Likewise, Eidos Montreal shared this statement on their website:
“As we’ve left Square Enix Ltd and joined the Embracer Group, we are starting an exciting new chapter in Eidos-Montréal’s history. While it’s not quite as exciting, it also means we have to let you know that we’ve updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Notice!
To put things simply, the big change is that Eidos-Montréal (or its affiliates) is now the owner of the games it developed, like the Deus Ex and Thief games, and the controller of the data obtained from the various gameplay metrics tracked in its titles. If you’d like to know more, please refer to our new Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.
From all of us at Eidos-Montréal, thank you for playing our games and for your continuous support!”
As both studios have noted, both had previously been owned by Square Enix. They started and developed these respective games before being bought out by said company. Both were also sold off by Square Enix earlier this year to Swedish holding company Embracer Group for a total of $ 300 million.
That acquisition included 50 legacy franchises from these companies’ back catalogues. While all these games have not been named, they did name Legacy of Kain and Thief in that initial announcement.
The history of Tomb Raider and Deus Ex and their respective developers dates all the way back to the 1990s. However, in the most recent history, both received well received reboots and spinoffs for the 7th and 8th console generations under the Square Enix label. However, the most recent incarnations of these games, being Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Deus Ex Mankind Divided, respectively, were not as well received as their predecessors, and had indicated that these most recent reboots of the continuities had run their course.
Tomb Raider has fared better of the two, having received a live action film adaptation in 2018. Last April, Crystal Dynamics confirmed that a new Tomb Raider game is already in development, but had not clarified whether this game would continue the most recent timeline or start a new one.
As for Deus Ex, while Eidos Montreal did not make any official announcements, rumor had spread that they were eager to jump back into making new games under the franchise after their acquisition by Embracer.
Source: VideoGamesChronicle