Square Enix, Eidos collaborating on new project

In July, Square Enix retired the Eidos publishing label, having purchased the UK-based outfit as part of an initiative to better tap into the global audience earlier this year. However, Eidos' studios remain active. The development arm is currently at work on new installments in such Western franchises as Hitman, Tomb Raider, and Thief--games that will join upcoming Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest projects bearing the Square Enix moniker.

As could be expected, though, Square Enix's development teams and Eidos' studios will be doing some intermingling going forward. On hand at the Montreal Games Summit today, UK gaming magazine Develop reports that Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada has confirmed that the company's first game to bear influences from both the Japanese developer and its British subsidiary is in development at Eidos Montreal.

The new Eidos Montreal project "would be the first collaboration between Square Enix and Montreal," Wada reportedly told summit attendees. "We would like to be able to create a new title that is made by the group as one." Wada reportedly went on to note that the new project is still largely in a gestation phase, and he did not indicate whether or not it would be an original property.

Founded in February 2007, Eidos Montreal is currently known to be working on to other high-profile projects. In November 2007, Eidos revealed that the Canadian studio was crafting Deus Ex 3, which is due in fall 2010. In May of this year, Eidos Montreal announced that development was under way on another of its classic franchises, Thief 4.