Deus ex architect ditches extraction craze for stealth-focused co-op

Warren Spector, the legendary game designer behind titles like Deus Ex, Thief, and System Shock, is pivoting away from the prevailing extraction shooter trend with his upcoming game, Thick as Thieves. A surprising shift in direction has transformed the project from a PvPvE multiplayer experience into a focused single-player and cooperative adventure.

A sudden change of course

Initially unveiled in 2024, Thick as Thieves was conceived as a multiplayer offering where players would infiltrate strongholds and residences to steal possessions and secrets, anticipating both enemy and player-versus-player confrontations. But OtherSide Entertainment, Spector’s studio, has dramatically altered this core concept. A recent Steam post from the developers explains that the team found themselves far more engaged with the game’s solo and cooperative elements during development.

“When we first revealed Thick as Thieves, we intended to focus on PvPvE gameplay,” the statement reads. “However, as development progressed and the world of Kilcairn came to life, we discovered we were enjoying the single-player and cooperative experiences more.” This realization led to the decision to reshape the game around a two-player cooperative and single-player experience. The studio believes this shift will allow them to hone in on what makes Thick as Thieves truly unique: dynamic stealth gameplay.

Internal playtests have already shown promising results. According to OtherSide Entertainment, the change has