Deus Ex Play Order & Timeline
In a future shaped by human augmentation, Adam Jensen and the Dentons uncover the people and institutions competing to control it. Follow the games, expanded editions, story missions, novels and comics from the Aug Incident to the world of Invisible War.
Timeline guide
Deus Ex Timeline, Play Order & Chronological Order (2026)
For a first playthrough, start with Deus Ex (2000), then Invisible War, Human Revolution — Director’s Cut and Mankind Divided. Icarus Effect is optional reading before Human Revolution. Black Light and Hard Line lead into Mankind Divided.
- Entries
- 22
- Released
- 21
- Upcoming
- 1
- Span
- 2000-2017
Open a section to view the play order, chronological order or FAQs.
Overview & recommendation
In a future shaped by human augmentation, Adam Jensen and the Dentons uncover the people and institutions competing to control it. Follow the games, expanded editions, story missions, novels and comics from the Aug Incident to the world of Invisible War.
ChronoCanon tracks 22 entries in the Deus Ex franchise released between 2000 and 2017. Use the interactive timeline above to filter by media type, category or character, or read the complete play order, chronological order and release order below.
Start with the original Deus Ex and its direct sequel, Invisible War. The prequels revisit characters and ideas from the original games. Choose Human Revolution — Director’s Cut to play Tong’s Rescue and The Missing Link inside the campaign. Finish Mankind Divided before its separate story missions.
Deus Ex Play Order (Recommended) 22 entries
Choose one edition of each game. Read Icarus Effect as an optional introduction before Human Revolution. After that campaign, Fallen Angel adds backstory for Faridah Malik, and The Fall continues Ben Saxon’s story from Icarus Effect. Before Mankind Divided, Black Light bridges the two Jensen campaigns and Hard Line introduces Alex Vega’s work with the Juggernaut Collective. The books and spin-offs are optional.
- 1Deus ExGame · 2000
- 2Deus Ex: The ConspiracyGame · 2002
- 3Deus Ex RemasteredGame · TBAUpcoming
- 4Deus Ex: Invisible WarGame · 2003
- 5Deus Ex: Icarus EffectNovel · 2011
- 6Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director’s CutGame · 2013
- 7Deus Ex: Human RevolutionGame · 2011
- 8Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Tong’s RescueGame · 2011
- 9Deus Ex: Human Revolution - The Missing LinkGame · 2011
- 10Deus Ex: Fallen AngelNovel · 2013
- 11Deus Ex: The FallGame · 2013
- 12Deus Ex: Black LightNovel · 2016
- 13Deus Ex: Hard LineNovel · 2016
- 14Deus Ex: Mankind DividedGame · 2016
- 15Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - Desperate MeasuresGame · 2016
- 16Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - System RiftGame · 2016
- 17Deus Ex: BreachGame · 2016
- 18Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - A Criminal PastGame · 2017
- 19Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Comic)Novel · 2011
- 20Deus Ex Universe: Children’s CrusadeNovel · 2016
- 21Deus Ex GOGame · 2016
- 22Deus Ex Universe: The Dawning DarknessNovel · 2016
Deus Ex in Chronological Order 22 entries
Human Revolution is placed by its opening. Icarus Effect overlaps its prologue, The Fall takes place during Jensen’s recovery, and the DC comic, Tong’s Rescue and The Missing Link fit inside the campaign. A Criminal Past is placed by the first TF29 mission it depicts. Some stories around Mankind Divided have approximate placements.
- 1Before Human Revolution · Faridah MalikDeus Ex: Fallen AngelNovel · 2013
- 2Around the Human Revolution prologue · Ben Saxon and Anna KelsoDeus Ex: Icarus EffectNovel · 2011
- 32027 · Adam JensenDeus Ex: Human RevolutionGame · 2011
- 42027 · expanded editionDeus Ex: Human Revolution - Director’s CutGame · 2013
- 52027 · during Jensen’s recoveryDeus Ex: The FallGame · 2013
- 62027 · early in Human RevolutionDeus Ex: Human Revolution (Comic)Novel · 2011
- 72027 · Hengsha, during Human RevolutionDeus Ex: Human Revolution - Tong’s RescueGame · 2011
- 82027 · during Jensen’s disappearanceDeus Ex: Human Revolution - The Missing LinkGame · 2011
- 9After the Aug Incident · before Mankind DividedDeus Ex: Black LightNovel · 2016
- 10Before Mankind Divided · Alex VegaDeus Ex: Hard LineNovel · 2016
- 11Before Mankind Divided · first TF29 mission, told in flashbackDeus Ex: Mankind Divided - A Criminal PastGame · 2017
- 12Before Mankind Divided · Task Force 29Deus Ex Universe: Children’s CrusadeNovel · 2016
- 13Shortly before Mankind DividedDeus Ex GOGame · 2016
- 14Immediately before the Dubai missionDeus Ex Universe: The Dawning DarknessNovel · 2016
- 152029 · Adam JensenDeus Ex: Mankind DividedGame · 2016
- 162029 · investigation of the Prague bombingDeus Ex: Mankind Divided - Desperate MeasuresGame · 2016
- 172029 · Pritchard and the Palisade BladeDeus Ex: Mankind Divided - System RiftGame · 2016
- 182029 · parallel hacking storyDeus Ex: BreachGame · 2016
- 192052 · JC DentonDeus ExGame · 2000
- 202052 · PlayStation 2 adaptationDeus Ex: The ConspiracyGame · 2002
- 212052 · announced remasterDeus Ex RemasteredGame · TBAUpcoming
- 222072 · Alex DDeus Ex: Invisible WarGame · 2003
Deus Ex in Release Order 22 entries
Dates use the first public release of each work or edition. Comic miniseries use their first issue. Breach first appeared in Mankind Divided and later became a standalone PC download. The announced remaster has no confirmed release date.
- 1Deus ExGame · 2000
- 2Deus Ex: The ConspiracyGame · 2002
- 3Deus Ex: Invisible WarGame · 2003
- 4Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Comic)Novel · 2011
- 5Deus Ex: Icarus EffectNovel · 2011
- 6Deus Ex: Human RevolutionGame · 2011
- 7Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Tong’s RescueGame · 2011
- 8Deus Ex: Human Revolution - The Missing LinkGame · 2011
- 9Deus Ex: The FallGame · 2013
- 10Deus Ex: Fallen AngelNovel · 2013
- 11Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director’s CutGame · 2013
- 12Deus Ex Universe: Children’s CrusadeNovel · 2016
- 13Deus Ex GOGame · 2016
- 14Deus Ex: Black LightNovel · 2016
- 15Deus Ex: Hard LineNovel · 2016
- 16Deus Ex Universe: The Dawning DarknessNovel · 2016
- 17Deus Ex: Mankind DividedGame · 2016
- 18Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - Desperate MeasuresGame · 2016
- 19Deus Ex: BreachGame · 2016
- 20Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - System RiftGame · 2016
- 21Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - A Criminal PastGame · 2017
- 22Deus Ex RemasteredGame · TBAUpcoming
Frequently asked questions 8 answers
Where should I start with Deus Ex?
Start with Deus Ex (2000), follow JC Denton’s story into Invisible War, then discover the earlier Adam Jensen era in Human Revolution and Mankind Divided. That order lets the original games introduce the setting before the prequels revisit it.
Does Human Revolution — Director’s Cut include the DLC?
Yes. Tong’s Rescue and The Missing Link are integrated into the campaign. Their individual entries also track the original bonus mission and DLC.
Where do the Deus Ex books and comics fit?
Icarus Effect was written to work before or after Human Revolution and leads into The Fall. Fallen Angel is a prequel about Malik that works as background reading after Human Revolution. Black Light bridges Human Revolution and Mankind Divided, while Hard Line follows Alex Vega between The Fall and Mankind Divided. The Dawning Darkness sets up the Dubai opening.
Is Deus Ex: The Conspiracy a separate game?
It is the PlayStation 2 adaptation of the original Deus Ex, with redesigned areas and presentation. Choose it or the PC original for JC Denton’s story. The announced Remastered edition is part of the same version group.
How many Deus Ex games and books are there?
Deus Ex has 22 entries: 15 games and 7 books, released between 2000 and 2017. 21 are already released and 1 is upcoming.
What is the chronological order of Deus Ex?
In chronological (in-universe) order, Deus Ex begins with Deus Ex: Fallen Angel (Before Human Revolution · Faridah Malik) and ends with Deus Ex: Invisible War. The full chronological list of 22 entries is above.
What is the release order of Deus Ex?
By release date, Deus Ex starts with Deus Ex (2000). The most recent release is Deus Ex: Mankind Divided – A Criminal Past (2017).
What is the next Deus Ex release and what should I play before it?
The next Deus Ex release is Deus Ex Remastered. To catch up first, choose the relevant continuity and play its released entries. Include alternative editions only if you want them in your personal goal.
Sources & methodology Reviewed November 12, 2026
Console and PC ports of the same edition share a single entry. Playable stories and enhanced versions have their own entries inside the relevant game group.
Each comic miniseries is listed as a complete work. The cover is the collected edition or the first issue where a collected edition is unavailable.
For overlapping stories, the chronology follows the earliest main events or the principal narrative. Relative placement is approximate where the works do not give an exact date.
- Eidos-Montréal — Human Revolution Director’s Cut and Fallen Angel
- Eidos-Montréal — Mankind Divided story expansions
- Titan Books — Icarus Effect
- Titan Books — Black Light
- Titan Comics — Children’s Crusade
- Eidos-Montréal — The Fall and its place in the timeline
- Embracer Group — remaster release status
- Eidos-Montréal — What to know before playing Mankind Divided
- James Swallow — Writing Icarus Effect to work before Human Revolution
- James Swallow — Fallen Angel
- James Swallow — Hard Line
Compiled and maintained by the ChronoCanon editorial team. Last reviewed: .
