Dead Spacecreator Glen Schofield has recently announced bad news about his next project, letting his followers know that due to a lack of proper financing, he may not direct another game. Glen Schofield is a video game designer, famous for his work onDead Spaceand the survival horror genre—but despite his notable trajectory, the game industry may not see another title from him.
Dead Spacewas one of those titles that came to break the mold, introducing a bunch of innovative gameplay mechanics and a strong narrative that gave the horror genre a fresh twist. One key revolutionary aspect of the game was its approach to HUDs and UIs. While many games at the time had a bunch of distracting on-screen information,Dead Spacemade it simpler in a more natural and immersive way, without cluttering the screen. Glen Schofield played a crucial role as the co-creator, executive producer, and driving creative force behind the project while working at Visceral Games. His creative vision helped establishDead Spaceas a cornerstone title in the horror genre that would later influence many future games.
In a slightly bitter message on his LinkedIn profile, Glen Schofield commented on the current complicated state of the game industry: “It’s tough out there,” he wrote.Schofield’s next projecthas been canceled, as he informed, due to the lack of proper financing, and the team members behind the game are now looking for work. Schofield explained he and his daughter Nicole had been working on a new game idea for a “new sub-genre of horror,” with a target budget of $17 million. While Schofield said “people loved the concept,” he explained he couldn’t get offers above $10 million, and later only received some between $2 and $5 million.
Despite Schofield having built authority withlegendary horror games likeDead Space, the complex state of the industry right now doesn’t favor him, and he and his daughter have had to walk away from the project, as “some ideas are better left untouched than done cheap.” He reaffirmed his passion and love for making games, but “with the industry on pause, AAA feels like it’s a long ways away,” he said. While he will continue making art, he remarked, “Maybe I’ve directed my last game.”
Unfortunately, Schofield’s reflection on the current situation seems pretty accurate, as theindustry is filled with layoffs, canceled titles, and repetitive games. However, on a positive note, AAA is not the only thing in the industry, and many recent examples, likeClair Obscur: Expedition 33,also show the industry’s potential. It remains to be seen whether Schofield will ever be able to direct a new game.
