Deus Ex is a beloved classic, often credited as a pioneer of immersive storytelling in games. Its innovative gameplay allowed players to navigate choices with real consequences, creating a rich world of ethical dilemmas.

Interestingly, the original pitch for what would become this iconic title was far less sophisticated. Initially, the game was intended to feature a protagonist named Jake Shooter, a supercop hired for challenging missions that other agents couldn’t tackle. Warren Spector, its designer, recounted in a recent interview how he pitched the game originally named ‘Troubleshooter’ to Origin Systems around 1994.

“I was sick of space marines, alien invasions, and mages with fireballs. I wanted to create a real-world roleplaying game,” he explained.

However, the concept struggled to find a home, partly due to the outlandish nature of Jake Shooter as a name. As Spector noted, “How do you sell a game that mixes shooters, stealth, and RPG elements?”

Ultimately, these hurdles contributed to its evolution into the multifaceted experience that Deus Ex is known for today. For a deeper dive into Spector’s insights, catch the full interview in the next issue of PC Gamer, out July 15.