Why is Warren Spector retiring?

He cites age, health issues, and above all a job that no longer brings him the same satisfaction it once did. His LinkedIn message suggests a form of weariness after four decades of development work.

What games did Warren Spector create or direct?

System Shock, Thief, Deus Ex (in 2000), Disney Epic Mickey, and most recently Thick as Thieves. He also contributed to about nine expansions and worked on board games.

How did his career at OtherSide Entertainment end?

With Thick as Thieves in May 2026, a PvPvE immersive sim reworked into a solo/co-op adventure that received a lukewarm reception. Content updates stopped a few weeks after the disappointing launch.

What does Warren Spector plan to do after retirement?

He plans to write books, consult for other studios, and he's holding on to three game ideas without committing to actually developing them.

Warren Spector, father of Deus Ex, retires

"I'm done making games. Well, I think I am. I've been down this road before and changed my mind, but this time I think I'm serious." It was with this message posted on LinkedIn that Warren Spector put an end to nearly 44 years of career.

The name may mean nothing to younger players; the genre he helped invent does. At Looking Glass and then Ion Storm, Spector produced or directed System Shock, Thief and above all Deus Ex in 2000 — the blueprint for everything now called immersive sim, from Dishonored to Prey to the Arkane games. He later brought Mickey back to video games with Disney Epic Mickey, before joining OtherSide Entertainment.

The tally he draws up: 17 complete games, around nine expansions, contributions to board gaming. He mentions his age and his health, and a job in which he no longer finds the same enjoyment. "Your job is to make people forget people like me ever existed," he writes to young developers.

A bittersweet send-off

His last game, Thick as Thieves, came out in May 2026. Announced as a PvPvE immersive sim, it was restructured into a solo and co-op adventure during development, and OtherSide stopped content updates a few weeks after a disappointing launch. Spector says he's keeping three game ideas in mind, without naming them, and plans to write books and do consulting work.