Again in Could this 12 months, Embracer Group acquired a number of studios from Sq. Enix, together with over 50 IPs, a number of of which might’ve been thought-about a number of the absolute best on the market 20 or so years in the past. For $300 million (pocket change in right this moment’s business), the Swedish holding firm (previously often called THQ Nordic) purchased Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montreal, and Sq. Enix Montreal, together with key IPs like Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, and Thief.
Now, taking a look at that line-up, it could be pure to imagine that Embracer is actually inquisitive about Tomb Raider and Deus Ex quite than Thief. The previous two video games have a a lot stronger observe file during the last decade. With three Tomb Raider and two Deus Ex video games since 2011, all releasing with excellent to wonderful critiques, there’s a powerful case to be made that each collection’ declines might be attributed to Sq. Enix’s mismanagement of those collection and basic disinterest within the works of Eidos-Montreal quite than the pulling energy of the IPs themselves.
This has seemingly been confirmed by Eidos-Montreal founder Stephane D’Astous, who in a current interview had some robust issues to say about Sq. Enix. D’Astous described Sq. Enix’s administration of western studios as “a prepare wreck in sluggish movement,” and likewise that he was “shedding hope that Sq. Enix would deliver nice issues to Eidos.” The success of the Hitman collection because it parted methods with Sq. Enix additionally helps the concept the Japanese writer – greatest recognized for JRPGs like Ultimate Fantasy, Nier, and Chrono Set off – simply didn’t fairly know what to do with these distinctly western flavours of recreation.
Whereas the business potential of Deus Ex and most actually Tomb Raider is unquestionably obvious to Embracer, it might be somewhat bit much less so with Thief. The collection hasn’t had an unequivocal hit since Thief 2: The Metallic Age in 2000. The 2014 model bought effectively, but it surely was regarded by followers and critics alike because the worst recreation within the collection; it was seen as a linear and overly scripted deviation from the masterful stage design and freedom of method that made the sooner video games so seminal. Perhaps not a horrible recreation typically, however hardly a Thief recreation (which made sense provided that lots of the authentic Thief builders went off to work at Arkane and make Dishonored in 2012 – way more of a religious successor to Thief than the 2014 Thief was).
Thief’s important panning – and Eidos-Montreal’s obvious problem in working with Sq. Enix – put paid to any hopes of a sequel, however its business success recommended that there was nonetheless worth to the Thief identify. Whereas a direct sequel would in all probability have tanked given the reception of the 2014 recreation, it’s been eight years now: followers’ wounds can have healed and builders can have realized their lesson, whereas a decade’s value of attainable new followers may very well be launched to Garrett, the Grasp Thief.
Let’s keep in mind that the early-mid 2010s have been a bizarre interval for gaming, the place different nice collection like Hitman and Splinter Cell additionally descended into comparatively linear, story-driven experiences with Hitman Absolution (2012) and Splinter Cell Blacklist (2013). It’s truthful to say that recreation design has moved on from these unusual days, and it’s onerous to think about that right this moment’s Eidos-Montreal would assume it’s a good suggestion to solely allow you to leap when prompted, or solely use Garrett’s well-known rope arrows to scale buildings at designated ‘grappling factors.’
Of their acquisition assertion again in Could, Embracer Group have been throwing the Thief identify round fairly liberally together with Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, and (weirdly) Legacy of Kain, despite the fact that they acquired over 50 different IPs. They even honed in on the potential of Thief, saying “Embracer sees a possibility to spend money on these franchises [Deus Ex and Tomb Raider], in addition to the extra acquired IPs corresponding to Legacy of Kain, Thief, and different authentic franchises.”
Now, that would simply be company massive speak, namedropping a few previous and traditionally prestigious IPs to indicate that they’re ‘down with the youngsters’ (or, effectively, the slowly greying individuals who have been children round 20 years in the past when these video games have been of their prime). However, it’s not unthinkable that they’re being severe, and there could be varied methods to check the water on curiosity in a brand new Thief recreation. They may remaster Thief 1 and a couple of, as an example, or re-release them in VR type (these video games, with their comparatively sluggish tempo and moody environments, could be nice on the Meta Quest 2).
It’s value noting that Embracer Group has been fairly good at letting publishers off the leash by way of bringing venerable previous collection again from the useless. THQ Nordic, its publishing subsidiary, has been flourishing, buying studios behind long-dormant collection like Gothic, Stubbs the Zombie, Destroy All People! and TimeSplitters, and giving all of them these video games a brand new lease of life (granted, some are nonetheless in improvement). I suppose you might say that the corporate has been fairly good at *buh-dum* embracing *tshhh* the previous through the years, and no matter occurs with the Thief IP, it’s undoubtedly in higher palms now than earlier than.
It’s probably that Tomb Raider, and even perhaps Deus Ex, might be extra of a precedence for Embracer, however simply past them, a well-recognized hooded define might be seen lurking within the shadows, a inexperienced glass eye glimmering with hope that it might get the chance to step into the sunshine and seize its biggest haul but. It’d be about time.
