Square Enix filed a European trademark yesterday for the name Deus Ex: Human Defiance, noting that they intend to use the mark for a future video game, online entertainment service, comic book, strategy guide, or any number of other related products.
Officially, Square Enix has not announced a sequel to the 2011 action-RPG Deus Ex: Human Revolution, but we do know that the publisher’s Montreal studios have been keeping themselves busy over the last couple of years. In November 2011, Square Enix announced that they were expanding their Eidos-Montreal studio by about 100 employees, so that the studio could “work on a third AAA… alongside the Deux Ex and Thief franchises”. Based on the bump in their workforce, it is possible that the Deus Ex: Human Defiance trademark is related to a new game in the franchise.
Outside of Eidos-Montreal, there were also unconfirmed reports from last October stating the Australian development studio Straight Right (the company that ported Mass Effect 3 to the Wii U) was working on bringing a “triple-A Square Enix” port to Nintendo’s latest console. Assuming the Straight Right report (which was based on an employees LinkedIn profile) is correct, this could mean that Dues Ex: Human Defiance is nothing more than a Wii U port of Human Revolution. Of course, the Straight Angle port could just as likely be some other Square Enix IP like Tomb Raider, or Hitman: Absolution.
Whatever it is, Deus Ex: Human Defiance is most certainly in development for some gaming platform. With E3 coming up fast, this is one of the names that you should keep on your radar as a potential new game announcement.
We will keep an eye on Square Enix and let you know as soon as the publisher mentions the name Deus Ex: Human Defiance. Until then, let us know your thoughts in the comments on a possible sequel to Human Revolution, and more importantly what platforms you would like to see it on.
[Update] According to a CBS Films domain registration, Deus Ex: Human Defiance is the title of the Deus Ex movie, and not a video game related to the franchise.
[Update] Looks like Deus Ex: Human Defiance is nothing more than an April Fools joke.