Glen Schofield, the father of the Dead Space franchise and co-founder of Sledgehammer Games, has officially retired. The industry veteran, who spent nearly 36 years in the industry, posted a four-minute farewell video on LinkedIn, summing up his career and thanking everyone who was there.
“It’s been an incredible career,” he says. “I had a front-row seat to one of the most creative explosions in history.”
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Why Schofield is leaving: a difficult ending and dashed hopes
The developer’s recent years have not been easy. His project, The Callisto Protocol—a spiritual successor to Dead Space—was released in 2022 with high expectations, but failed to break even and received lukewarm reviews. In 2023, Schofield left Striking Distance Studios, the studio he founded, and attempts to find funding for a new game (an ancient Egyptian action game about Ramses VIII) came to nothing.
Unsuccessful Attempts to Bring Back Dead Space
Schofield repeatedly knocked on Electronic Arts’ door with offers to make a fourth installment. EA rejected idea after idea—even when the developer offered to save up to $40 million by using Motive Studio’s work.
“I’ve already started calling EA’s new owners,” he admitted recently.
But for now, the publisher has put the series on hold. According to insiders, the 2023 remake failed to deliver the desired sales figures, and the franchise is on hold indefinitely.
The Legacy of Dead Space and What’s Next for the Iconic Series
Dead Space (2008) revolutionized survival horror—strategically shooting off limbs instead of precise headshots became its signature move. The game influenced an entire generation of horror games, from indie hits like Amnesia to modern blockbusters. But by 2013, with the release of the third installment, the genre was already shifting toward action, and Schofield found himself out of work.
Does Dead Space 4 have a chance?
So far, no official announcements. Schofield himself hasn’t given up hope: he’s ready to reassemble the old Visceral Games team and even considers selling the IP to another studio. However, without EA’s support, this remains just a dream. For fans, the main takeaway is that a fourth installment is unlikely in the coming years, but the fight for one continues. Schofield is stepping down from day-to-day management, but promises to continue his creative work—writing stories, drawing, and coming up with ideas. As he himself put it: “The future is truly, truly bright.”
