One of the lead developers behind Deus Ex has reminded us that he didn’t create the legendary title all by himself, 25 years ago.

Warren Spector wants to make it clear that Deus Ex wasn’t the work of just one man. The original game launched on June 23, 2000, and to celebrate its 25th anniversary, Spector appeared in a video message wishing fans a happy birthday. And yes, the game is still great fun—though it can feel a bit clunky for first-time players.

“I’m pleased and proud because, like every developer, I hoped to make something that would live on in people’s minds for a long time. I never expected or dared to hope that Deus Ex would be so long-lasting, yet here we are. You can’t release anything, let alone something good, without a great team. The Deus Ex concept may have been mine, but the game itself and all the praise aimed at it belong to the great team that believed in a vision and made it a reality. I’m extremely proud of the work they did in 2000. But I’m equally proud that we created something bigger than ourselves. We made a game that influenced subsequent games, and we created a world that people want to revisit repeatedly. So here’s to the next 25 years! See you in 2052!” Spector said.

He’s right, and he’s been saying this for decades. Back in 2001, Spector mentioned in an interview that the media tends to credit a single individual with a game’s creation. He deserves credit for continuing to highlight the contributions of the entire Deus Ex team, and specifically naming Harvey Smith, Chris Norden, Jay Lee, Sheldon Pacotti, and Alexander Brandon as key figures in making the game what it was.

His mention of the year 2052 is no coincidence—that’s the year in which the game is set. The official Deus Ex YouTube channel, where this anniversary video was posted, had been dormant for seven years. That’s a curious move, especially when paired with the fact that the PS2 version’s intro scene was uploaded just a week and a half ago. Between the Spector message and Deus Ex joining the PlayStation Plus Premium catalog, all signs suggest that Fellowship Entertainment (a branch of Embracer Group) might finally be reviving the franchise.

Source: PCGamer