A billion years ago, in 2007, Eidos Montreal quietly announced Deus Ex 3. Since then, only a teaser trailer and a few details have flown our way. The above concept artwork is from a new “sneak peek” of Deux Ex 3 at Gamereactor. The article and the source image have disappeared off of the website, but we’re guessing that is just a coincidence -- not a government conspiracy.

Either way, this is especially interesting but hard to analyze. You see a man, whom you can only suppose is the protagonist Adam Jensen, smoking a cigarette in the foreground with a large city looming in the background. I’m taking special notice of the hexagon on Jensen’s forehead, because it looks cool. I also dig the subtle “future” (it is set in 2027) take with this. That city and Jensen look familiar. It’s only a slight contrast from what you and I see on a daily basis.

If you didn’t know, Deus Ex 3 is a prequel to the original Deus Ex. That means this game will have practically have nothing to do with Invisible War. I’ll leave it at that.

[via ThatVideoGameBlog]

Gamereactor has posted the first sneak peek at Deus Ex 3, currently in development at the new Eidos Montreal studios. Sadly, it just some concept artwork and not any actual screens from the game, which isn’t slated to release until 2010, but it still paints a (pretty) picture of how the latest addition to the series is shaping up.

The game takes place in the year 2027. You play as Adam Jensen, a security guard at a bio-tech company called Sarif. One day the offices are stormed by bad guys and everyone is killed…everyone except for Adam Jensen. As the sole survivor, you get to go all Bladerunner-esque Charles Bronson, making it your personal vendetta to find out why your white-collared colleagues were murdered.

Here’s hoping Deus Ex 3 turns out to be the game Deus Ex 2 should have been.

Industry sources often claim that certain kinds of "truces" between game studios are fairly commonplace.

For example, competitors might occasionally agree not to hire one another’s talent for the duration of a given project, to help each other retain staff when all hands are needed on deck.

But a correspondence obtained by Gamasutra suggests that some Montreal-based companies may be attempting to collude on salary caps, under the auspices of benefiting the economics of the industry in a given region – and at the expense of competitive wages for development staff.

According to a scan of an internal email that we translated from French, human resources director Flavie Tremblay -- when employed by Eidos in June 2007 -- reached out to fellow Montreal publisher Ubisoft to propose just such a collaboration.

"As you know, there are more and more important players in the Montreal industry, and the well of our resources is limited," wrote Tremblay, herself a former Ubisoft employee, to Francis Baillet, as she welcomed him to the role of human resources vice president at Ubisoft.

"I sincerely believe that a collaboration would eventually allow us to better provide for our needs in forming a workforce, and avoid a bid for higher wages which would only benefit the employee, and which would end up harming the industry in the long term," Tremblay’s message continued.

"I know that all of us face the challenge of employee retention, but I sincerely believe that salary augmentation does not represent a long term solution. Let me know if you are interested in an eventual discussion. I believe that [Montreal-based] A2M will probably be interested; then, we’d only have EA left to convince."

Electronic Arts did, in fact, verify that it received a correspondence from competitors in Montreal similar to the one obtained by Gamasutra. But the company declined to provide any further details, neither to show us the correspondence nor to confirm the company or individual that sent it.

When approached by Gamasutra for comment on this story, EA Montreal vice president and general manager Alain Tascan called the letters "troubling."

"Colluding with competitors to restrict salaries in Montreal appears unethical and definitely contradicts EA’s core values," Tascan said. "EA is currently reviewing records to affirm our understanding that no representatives from our company participated in the meetings referenced in these letters, and that no one from EA colluded with competitors to restrict employee salaries."

Notably, Tremblay’s correspondence was written prior to the public launch of Eidos’ Montreal studio. According to claims from Gamasutra sources, Tremblay composed and sent the email in question on her own initiative and without the support of executives at Eidos. The company allegedly dismissed Tremblay some months after she sent the email.

However, there is no confirmation of how or whether Ubisoft or A2M responded to Tremblay's invitation, the status of any discussions or whether any such agreement was put into place.

Following her dismissal from Eidos, Tremblay has since returned to Ubisoft, and according to public information, is currently Ubisoft’s human resources manager.

Tremblay’s original memo -- independently verified by Gamasutra as being legitimate -- was also recently leaked onto the web, and the timing of the leak appears significant – it is, after all, over a year old.

According to Eidos Montreal’s official website, the studio held an open house to attract new talent on November 15 – the same time frame that Tremblay’s memo (which lists her as an Eidos employee) first surfaced and roused suspicions, making it possible the leak is another tactic in the region's recruitment wars.

Today also marks the kickoff of the Montreal International Games Summit, which aims to bring public and media attention to the games industry in Quebec and address the interests of its workers.

"Since EA opened a Montreal studio in 2003, we have fought a legal battle for an open employment policy that allows natural market forces to determine where people work and how much they are compensated," EA Montreal’s Tascain said.

"These letters are especially troubling given the generous support that the Quebec Government and taxpayers have provided to help these companies create jobs in the region."

Gamasutra attempted to contact all parties involved for further comment on this story. Ubisoft declined to comment or address questions on this matter, calling the issue "rumor and speculation," and Gamasutra was not able to reach either A2M or Eidos Montreal to obtain an official comment as of press time.

Eidos Montreal have released some screens and concept art for Deus Ex 3. The first-person shooter/role-playing game may not be anywhere close to being released (2009), but that has not stopped speculation from forming around the new title.

One thing we do know is that players will be stepping into the shoes of Adam Jensen, a worker at a bio-tech facility called Sarif. One day, the place is overrun by bad guys who commence to murdering all of the employees, and only you escape the carnage. Plot wise, you go in search of answers and revenge–basic FPS fodder.

More screens/art for Deus Ex 3 can be found here.

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Related Articles at Gaming Today:

• Deus Ex 3 to be Built on Legend Engine
• Eidos Montreal's Next Big Project Begins with the Letter "T"
• Eidos France Director Mentions New Deus Ex Game in the Works
• Plot Secret for Deus Ex 3 Accidentally Leaked?
• Mod Of The Day: High-Definition Texture Pack For Deus Ex

• Deus Ex 3 lead designer talks about his game
• Deus Ex 3 detailed: set as prequel, gameplay changes, augmentations, more
  

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EA Signs the Legendary David Lynch for Three Game Deal
Auteur behind Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive to elevate the plane of interactive entertainment

Electronic Arts today announced that cinematic legend David Lynch will bring his unique talents to the development of three original games. Lynch will lead development of the games with a team at Pandemic Studios in Los Angeles, the same studio recently released open-world title Mercenaries 2: World of Flames and the forthcoming The Lord of the Rings: Conquest. Lynch's acclaimed works include Oscar-nominated classics such as Mulholland Dr., Blue Velvet, and The Elephant Man. He is presently devoting his time to an array of multimedia projects.

Under the agreement with Asymmetrical Productions, EA will co-own the intellectual properties and the game franchises will be co-developed, published and distributed worldwide by EA. The relationship between Lynch and EA includes efforts to extend the game franchises into theatrical motion pictures. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“The sheer promise of technology has struck me as a bellwether of innovation; for that reason, I am excited to be entering a new medium and proving it capable of handling a scathing, soaring complexity,” said Lynch. “By taking the more arduous road of creating computer games without the use of computers, I believe that we will set an inspirational precedent for interactive narratives.”

The collaboration will also give Lynch unprecedented control over the marketing and publicity of the games, offering an imaginative experience prior to the release of the game certain to intrigue Lynch fans and gamers. Starting today, fans will find a clues embedded within Lynch’s daily weather forecast at his website davidlynch.com.

Frank Gibeau, President of EA Games Label said, “For decades, David Lynch has amassed an incomparable library of masterpiece after masterpiece, and it is nothing short of an honor to help him create his next masterpieces. These are certain to be projects that will show the general public that the medium is as legitimate artistically as film or literature.”

The deal was brokered on behalf of Mr. Lynch and Asymmetrical Productions by Creative Artists Agency.

Microsoft Brings Romance to the Halo Universe with Halo Dating

Groundbreaking franchise once again shatters boundaries with innovation

In an age when the state of gaming seems awash with the monotonous drudgery of soulless, polarizing product targeted at the most specific of audiences, an innovative title will stand apart. “Halo® Dating,” the ambitious next great chapter in the acclaimed “Halo” franchise, is certain to shatter entertainment sales records when it releases later this year.

Created by legendary developer Bungie Studios with the assistance of acclaimed author Nicholas Sparks and exclusive to the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, “Halo Dating” will set a new standard for interactive storytelling and social gaming by engaging consumers worldwide in an epic, galactic tale of romance.

Sparks, best known for sweeping novels such as “The Notebook” and “Message and the Bottle” that have created big-screen romantic blockbusters, handled the writing of the project and guided the team in development. His contributions ensure an experience that will thrill diehard fans and newcomers alike.

“There is absolutely no greater platform in the video-gaming universe than that of the ‘Halo’ series,” said Sparks. “Dealing with very human, universal matter, I’m confident this game has an involving experience that will encompass everyone and bring gamers and non-gamers together.”

Although “Halo Dating” largely eschews the shooting that has marked the series, the game features relentless action and adventure that will bring the audience to see those two terms in a new light.

In the campaign mode, gamers can expect to spend twenty-five hours on an ultimate journey in the shoes of Colonel James Ackerson, as he attempts to sustain his relationship through intense intergalactic conflict and shocking revelations.

But “Halo Dating” truly comes alive when multiple players join in, the game features an entirely different cooperative mode called “Couples Play” that places one player as Ackerson and one as his girlfriend through an unique way of play, and will truly bring couples closer together with an emphasis on positive cooperation rather than nihilistic destruction.

On the Xbox LIVE® service, gamers will find a continuation of that emphasis of positive cooperation with modes like “Lovematch”—an subversion of the famed “deathmatch” mode—where the aim is not to blast each other but resolve differences and contribute in a positive manner.

“With a truly compelling experience that transcends demographics, “Halo Dating” is the must-play title of the fall,” said Don Mattrick, senior vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “Anyone interested in the future of entertainment knows that the Xbox 360 is the place to be.”

Eidos Enlists My Chemical Romance for Shellshock 2 Soundtrack
Unprecedented collaboration elevates war-torn fear to new levels.

Eidos Interactive, creator of some of the world’s leading videogame properties, today announced an unprecedented collaboration with the multi-platinum art-rock group My Chemical Romance to create the soundtrack for the upcoming psychological first person shooter Shellshock 2: Blood Trails.

From “Let’s Live for Today” to “My Girl,” the acclaimed New Jersey quartet has reinvented more than twenty hits that truly illuminate the game’s harrowing setting of Cambodia ravaged by the Vietnam War. My Chemical Romance’s contributions mark the largest body of music recorded by a blue-chip act exclusively for a game.

“Ever since that first crack at Contra when I was ten, I have been a lifelong gamer, and finding an opportunity like this that indulges my own fantasies while promoting our artistic integrity is truly once in a lifetime,” said My Chemical Romance lead singer Gerald Way.

Additionally, audiophiles will be to geek out with a copy of the game’s soundtrack on vinyl when they purchase the PlayStation®3 edition of Shellshock 2: Blood Trails.

“My Chemical Romance are relentless auditory innovators, and it was only natural that we decided to partner with them to create the most visceral and menacing depiction of war to grace the medium,” said Lee Singleton, General Manager of Eidos Game Studios.

Shellshock 2: Blood Trails will be released in February 2009 on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Games for Windows®.

Ubisoft Announces Tom Clancy’s Imagine: Party Babyz: Clandestine Frolics
Preeminent infantile celebration simulation returns.

Today Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, announced that it will publish Tom Clancy’s Imagine: Party Babyz: Clandestine Frolics exclusively on the Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo. Developed by Ubisoft Montreal and Red Storm Entertainment, Tom Clancy’s Imagine: Party Babyz: Clandestine Frolics marks a return of the preeminent infantile celebration simulation.

This time around, the franchise sees the addition of the Tom Clancy brand and an epic story penned by the PEN/Faulkner Award-winner Richard Ford.

“I am happily hesitant to lend my name to anything anyone approaches me to be involved with, but when I saw the unabashedly unflinching undertaking planned ahead, I knew this was a palpable presentation of a narrative,” said Ford. “To see a group of people committed to the conception of something beyond the basic, banal stereotype-laden shoot-em-up in some exotic locale is simply inspirational.”

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have the venerable talents of Richard Ford and Red Storm on board for this evolution of the Party Babyz franchise,” said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Ubisoft. “With these new epic additions, gamers everywhere are going to find themselves endlessly immersed in the powerful, enchanting world of Tom Clancy’s Imagine: Party Babyz: Clandestine Frolics.”

Game features include:

• Acclaimed voice cast. The game features the vocal talents of acclaimed actors such as Michael Salinger, Gary Oldman, Brenda Strong, Jean Reno, Kris Kristofferson, Ron Perlman, Roma Maffia. Patrick Stewart, Terence Stamp, Tom Waits, Mickey Rourke, Christopher Walken, and Juliette Binoche.


• Innovative soundtrack. Composed by Tom Waits, the game’s innovative soundtrack of dozens of ditties and doodles dynamically changes based on the context of the game’s action, making for a more immersive mode of play.


• Command and move your party. Using the Wii Speak™ and Wii Balance Board™, players can experience the ultimate multitasking challenge where they must wiggle and waggle their bodies while efficiently using their voice to chart the course of their partying.


• Sensational storyline. Written by heralded author Richard Ford, the game features an unforgettable Homeric probing of contemporaneous society filled to the brink with moral ambiguity that will encourage players discussing their experience after playing the game.


• Evolved realism. Ubisoft enlisted renowned infantile celebration expert Dr. Frederica Ancalade to consult on the development of the game, ensuring the most realistic interactive experience of the kind.

Tom Clancy’s Imagine: Party Babyz: Clandestine Frolics has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

[Alex Litel can be reached at alexlitel@gmail.com and occasionally found at alexlitel.blogspot.com. The press releases above may not actually exist - yet.]