Eidos Montreal, the renowned game development studio, has recently undergone significant staff reductions, including the departure of long-serving studio head David Anfossi, who led the team for 13 years. This decision was not arbitrary; a substantial portion of the workforce was let go following the abrupt termination of a major project that had been in development for seven years.
The widespread layoffs are a direct consequence of the cancellation of a game codenamed ‘Wildlands,’ which began development in 2019. This ambitious third-person action title was envisioned as an adventure centered around a character named River, part of a group of teenagers who could ward off evil spirits using magical staves and travel on mythical creatures. Concept materials reportedly depicted a massive, moose-like animal named Redheart, intended for rapid traversal across the game world.
‘Wildlands’ represented the studio’s eleventh project and had encountered considerable challenges throughout its development. The game underwent no less than four engine changes, and persistent disputes over its narrative and budget caused expenditures to skyrocket, eventually exceeding nine figures. It was precisely these escalating costs associated with ‘Wildlands’ that forced the studio to cancel several other promising projects in recent years, most notably a new installment in the beloved Deus Ex franchise, which was originally slated for release in January 2024.
Despite being in its final stages of polish and initially projected for a late 2026 launch on PC and consoles, ‘Wildlands’ was ultimately abandoned. The final decision to close the project was made by its publisher, Embracer Group, marking a significant and costly end to years of development and directly impacting other anticipated titles like Deus Ex.