„Maybe I've directed my last game.” Dead Space creator isn't likely to make a triple-A game any time soon
The creator of the original Dead Space had an idea for a game in the „new horror sub-genre.” He eventually withdrew from the project because he failed to secure the money.
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It's possible that we won't be getting any new games from Glen Schofield, the creator of the original Dead Space and The Callisto Protocol. The dev admitted that despite the original idea, he is having trouble finding financing.
"The gaming industry is tough"
In a post shared on LinkedIn, Schofield revealed that he has been working with his daughter on a completely new project for the last eight months. He described it as a "new subgenre of horror" and "something he had never seen before."
The game's budget was set at 17 million dollars, so he had no choice but to raise the necessary funds. For this purpose, Schofield, along with a small team, created a prototype and began scheduling meetings with publishers. Unfortunately, they didn't go as he would have wished.
The creator acknowledged that even though the publishers were very fond of the game concept, the issue was the excessively high budget. At first, he was told to reduce it to 10 million, and at the last meeting, "this number dropped to 2-5 million." As a result, Schofield decided to withdraw.
So last month, we decided to walk away. Some ideas are better left untouched than done cheap. We had a team of six here in the States and a full crew in the UK. Now, everyone's looking for work. They’re all talented folks—if you’re hiring, let me know.
Schofield summed up this story by stating that for him, "with the industry on pause, AAA feels like it's a long ways away." It seems that even though he has spent the last 15-20 years working on big titles and still "loves doing it," he doesn't see a chance to continue his adventure with high-budget titles for now.
So I’m back to my art. I miss it all; the team, the chaos, the joy of building something for fans. I’m still around, making art, writing stories and ideas and still cheering the industry on. But maybe I’ve directed my last game. Who knows? If so thank you playing my games.
People commenting on Reddit believe that this for the best. Many people think that Schofield reached the peak by creating the first Dead Space, but he hasn't come close to that iconic survival horror with any other game. Even with a substantial budget at his disposal, he didn't use it very well, delivering the poorly received The Callisto Protocol to players.
Honestly probably for the best. He struck gold with Dead Space but hasn’t really directed anything that comes remotely close. He essentially fumbled Callisto Protocol and left the studio he founded as soon as it bombed.
The guy managed to fumble one of the most expensive and anticipated horror games of the decade. Instead of making something unique, he simply rehashed the first Dead Space story, and instead of focusing on a decent gameplay loop, he made one of the most boring combat systems ever.
The first Dead Space got a very good remake two years ago, which was very warmly received by both players and reviewers. Unfortunately, according to last year's rumors, work on the refreshed sequel has been suspended.
- The Callisto Protocol to Receive Spin-off Despite Initial Failure. It Will Be Completely Different Game, Devs Take Unexpected Direction
- Dead Space Dead Again. Remake's High Scores Did Not Boost Publicity
- Chances for Dead Space 4 are growing as developer is „already making calls.” At least one person seems happy with Electronic Arts' takeover
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Author: Martin Bukowski
Graduate of Electronics and Telecommunications at the Gdańsk University of Technology, who decided to dedicate his life to video games. In his childhood, he would get lost in the Gothic's Valley of Mines and "grind for gold" in League of Legends. Twenty years later, games still entertain him just as much. Today, he considers the Persona series and soulslike titles from From Software as his favorite games. He avoids consoles, and a special place in his heart is reserved for PC. In his spare time, he works as a translator, is creating his first game, or spends time watching movies and series (mainly animated ones).
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