Éidos Montréal’s New IP Could Be One of Gaming’s First True AAAA Projects

Éidos Montréal, known for their work on the Deus Ex series, appears to be well into the development of what is being called a "quadruple-A" game. Information on a studio-related LinkedIn page says the team is working on a project much larger than what is usually expected from an AAA game.

People often don't trust the term "AAA," but new information shows that it may be more than just marketing speak. ​It is said that the project in question is a brand-new intellectual property with the code name P11. According to people outside the studio who know its work, this game has been in active development since around 2019.

Even by today's AAA standards, that alone shows a production cycle that is much longer than normal. Reports say that development on P11 has not gone smoothly, with major failures and internal problems seen throughout its life.

What really makes this project 4 times better is that the territory is the investment recorded in it.

Several sources say that hundreds of millions of dollars have already been spent on building. At that size, the label starts to sound less like an exaggeration and more like a true picture of how big-budget games are made these days. Big movies used to cost around $100 million to make, but those days are over.

Instead, budgets have grown hugely. Some modern games cost $200 million, $300 million, or even more than $400 million to make, including all development costs. ​This change in public opinion about the budget helps explain why the term "quadruple-A" is catching on. It may no longer just be a buzzword but a way to tell these huge, high-risk projects apart from regular AAA titles.

As the cost of making games keeps rising, studios and publishers are eager to let people know when a project will cost more than usual. As a player, that usually means that you have better hopes for scale, polish, and technological progress. ​The situation with Éidos Montréal makes things even more interesting.

Many people liked the studio's most recent Deus Ex games for their depth, mood, and systemic gameplay. Even though they were under a lot of business and time constraints, those games showed great design sense. Because of that history, there is a cautious sense of optimism about P11, even though its development has been long and allegedly troubled.

Of course, it's a big deal to spend that much money on a brand-new IP. It's not always easy for new brands to find fans, and success isn't guaranteed. Many large-scale projects have failed or been slowed by their high costs, especially when undertaken over a long period. That makes you wonder whether these kinds of investments will pay off in the long run and whether the end result is worth the cost.

​According to reports, the problems P11 has encountered have lengthened its schedule.

Even though there are still some questions, the fact that work has been underway since 2019 shows that the project has undergone many internal reviews and course corrections. That determination could mean that they believe in the main idea, even if putting it into action has been hard.

​The growing use of the quadruple- A label is also a sign of a larger trend in the business.

Studios are taking on more financial risk than ever before as production costs rise and teams grow. That risk can lead to amazing experiences, but it can also put pressure on creativity, schedules, and the company's stability. We've already seen how unstable big-scale growth can be when plans, budgets, and market dynamics don't align.

​Even though there are problems, there is reason to think that more specific information will soon come to light. Since P11 has been in the works for a while, a public reveal might not be too far away. Studios usually don't keep projects this expensive secret for so long, especially when they're already well along in production. If things keep going as planned, you can probably look forward to some kind of news or teaser soon.

​For now, Éidos Montréal's quadruple-A project is mostly known for its size, cost, and ambition. Whether or not P11 lives up to that name will rest on what the studio makes and how players react to it. As costs keep rising and what it means to be an AAA game changes, this project could become a key example of where big-budget game development is headed next.