Here's Deus Ex's Story Summarized in a Chronological Timeline For You

Deus Ex Series

The Deus Ex series is set in a dark, futuristic cyberpunk world where secret societies and groups hatch plans for world control from the shadow. The events and twists of the series can be a bit hard to follow, especially as Human Revolution and Mankind Divided take place a number of years before the original. Here's a handy time to give you some basic knowledge of the events of the series. With such an intricate series it's of course impossible to cover everything, and there's a massive spoiler warning for what's ahead.

1311 - The Knights Templar Dissolves, But Continues Operating in Secret

The enigmatic Knights Templar is one of the driving forces behind everything that happens in the Deus Ex series. Even though their existence takes place hundreds of years before any of the games, they would lead to the creation of the Illuminati and Majestic 12, and would also remain a presence.

1776 - Adam Weishaupt Forms the Illuminati

Adam Weishaupt was a real German philosopher born in 1748 who would go on to form the secret societ, the Illuminati. This group would operate from the shadows and the pull the strings that would lead to the events of Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Mankind Divided.

1996 - Hugh Darrow Forms Darrow Industries

Hugh Darrow is a major player in Human Revolution and one of the game's main antagonists. Through a skiing accident leading to a prosthetic limb, Darrow would find the inspiration to revamp a prosthesis company in England. With his family's immense wealth, he not only created the company, but ensured that it made front page news.

1998 - First Brain Implant Installed in a Human Patient

Researchers at Emery University installed the first human brain implant capable of stimulating movement. This allows the subject to interact with the world like they were using a computer, and theoretically is one of the events that opens the door for augmentation.

2002- Darrow Industries Scientific Breakthrough

Darrow Industries makes a huge breakthrough after years of research, by finding a way to intertwine PEDOT-electrodes with live neural cells. This significantly increases the bodies' acceptance of mechanical limbs.

2007 - The Hyron Project Begins Conceptualization

DARPA begins looking for partners on a project that would increase soldiers' situational awareness on the battlefield. This idea would eventually become the Hyron Project, which leads to a series of quantum computers that are slaved to human beings known as drones. This allows the computer to store large amounts of data, think abstractly and even be somewhat self aware. The Hyron Project is also used by Darrow and features into Human Revolution.

2007 - David Sarif Purchases and Overhauls an Auto Factory in Detroit

David Sarif and his company are the ones that employ Adam Jensen in Human Revolution. Sarif wants to streamline the production of prosthetic limbs, and shortly after revamping the factory finds a way to do just that, cementing his place in the industry.

2013 - L.I.M.B. International is Founded

The 50th healthcare clinic for mechanically augmented patients is established, marking a huge milestone. At its opening ceremony, the founder Haydon Suyong calls his network L.I.M.B. International and establishes the LIMB network for the augmented.

2014 - Adam Jensen Joins the Detroit Police Department

Adam Jensen, the protagonist of Human Revolution and Mankind Divided, joins the Detroit PD, learning the necessary skills for his future job as Sarif Industries.

2016 - The Singularity Faith of the Machine God is Founded

The pro-augmentation group is formally recognized as a church. The augmented originally formed the group in 2011, in response to being shunned for going against religious scriptures that call it a sin to "desecrate" their bodies. The first signs of tension between the augmented and non-augmented really start to show.

2016 - Construction Begins on the Panchaea Project

Construction begins on the Panchea Project in Antarctica and other oceans around the world, funded by Hugh Darrow. The project's original goal is to curb global warming, although Darrow would use one of the installations later on to broadcast the signal that starts the "Aug Incident."

2017 - Sarif Industries Issues a Contract to Construct Intelligence Enhancing Chips

Sarif Industries is issued a contract by the US military to manufacture intelligence-enhancing chips. These could drastically improve the performance of any human they're installed in.

2020- Mechanical Augmentations Start Becoming Widespread

In the 2020s, augmentations really start hitting the mainstream and becoming widespread. Nano-augmentation also becomes a possibility under the research of Majestic 12, a subset of researchers within the Illuminati.

2025 - The Mexicantown Massacre

Adam Jensen refuses the order to shoot an augmented teenager, but the act is still done when the order is passed to Wayne Haas. The boy's death prompts huge riots in Detroit, and a shootout occurs between Jensen and another SWAT team. The incident is covered up, Jensen resigns and his superiors blame him or the entire ordeal. Shortly after, he joins Sarif Industries as Chief of Security.

2027 - The Events of Human Revolution Begin

Sarif industries is attacked by the Tyrants and Belltower Spec Ops Soldiers. Jensen is critically injured and heavily augmented, starting the events of Human Revolution. Over the course of the game, Jensen discovers plots by both the Illuminati and Hugh Darrow.

2027 - Jensen Defeats the Hyron Project, the "Aug Incident"

Jensen takes down Darrow and other members of the Illuminati at Panchaea. Darrow created the "Aug Incident," sending out a signal across the world that causes augmented people to lose control and act violently. Jensen stops this incident and the Hyron Project, but not before damage has been done.

2028 - Majestic 12 Approaches Paul Denton's Mother

Majestic 12, the antagonists of the original Deus Ex, approach Paul Denton's mother posing as fertility experts. After she and her husband agree, she is implanted with a cloned embryo of Paul, and she would give birth to JC Denton later. Majestic 12 has been monitoring the lives of the family for years, and will continue to do so.

2029 - The Events of Mankind Divided Begin

After years of rising tension between augmented and non-augmented people, things boil over as terrorist attacks rock Prague and other cities around the world. Many of the events of Mankind Divided are as of yet unknown, but Adam Jensen continues his fight against the Illuminati.

2031- Majestic 12 Instigates a Coup Against the Illuminati

At some point between 2031 and 2035, Majestic 12 instigates a coup against the Illuminati. The group takes a bid to gain all of the secret society's assets and power throughout the world.

2035 - Majestic 12 Becomes the Ruler of Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America

Majestic 12 completes their takeover of the Illuminati, becoming the rulers of Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America. JC and Paul's parents are also killed by Majestic 12 this year, with JC being sent to school in Switzerland under their watchful gaze.

2040 - Paul Denton Graduates and Joins UNATCO

Paul Denton, the test subject for Majestic 12's cloning, graduates from a university and joins UNATCO (United Nations Anti-Terrorist Coalition.) This groups was formed under the guise of protecting against the increasing terror attacks, but actually functions as a police force for Majestic 12.

2050 - Paul Denton Becomes the First Nano-Augmented Human

Paul Denton becomes the first human to ever be Nano-augmented. This is the most advanced form of human augmentation, and grants the user the abilities to do things that would normally be impossible like seeing in the dark, turning invisible or possess superhuman strength. It's also very discreet and mentally and physically painless, unlike mechanical augmentation.

2051 - UNATCO and Interpol Destroy the Knights Templar

UNATCO and Interpol, the organization Adam Jensen works with in Mankind Divided, infiltrate the Knights Templar headquarters in Paris and destroy the organization. This further cements Majestic 12's growing hold on the world, by destroying opposition.

2051 - JC Denton Joins Unatco

JC Denton, the protagonist of Deus Ex and clone of Paul Denton, graduates from university in Switzerland and joins UNATCO. At this point he also becomes the second nano-augmented human in history.

2052 - JC Denton Defects From UNATCO, Events of Deus Ex Begin

The original Deus Ex begins this year, with JC DEnton defecting from UNATCO a day after entering active duty, after finding out the truth about the group and Majestic 12. After unraveling the conspiracy and merging with the artificially intelligent entity, Helios, JC triggers the collapse. This event plunges the world into the worst economic disaster in history, resulting in a new Dark Age and putting JC himself into a coma.

2069 - Paul Denton Enters a Coma

Paul Denton attempts to test a new biomod architecture on himself, but the procedure fails. He also falls into a deep coma at this point.

2072 - The Events of Deus Ex: Invisible War Begin

Deus Ex: Invisible War begins, following another clone of Paul Denton, named Alex Denton. Alex has to do battle with remnants of the Knights Templar, Illuminati and Majestic 12 while awakening both Paul and JC Denton. Invisible War has multiple choices and endings leading to vastly different outcomes. This can either lead humanity into a golden age or plunge it into the worst chaos and anarchy imaginable.

Here’s Deus Ex’s Story Summarized in a Chronological Timeline For You