La Derecha Diario Dead Space's creator cancels his new game due to lack of funding
The creator criticizes the current industry model and denounces the lack of support for innovative proposals
Glen Schofield, recognized as the mastermind behind Dead Space and The Callisto Protocol, confirmed that he might leave video game development after his latest project was canceled due to lack of funding. In recent statements, Schofield directly criticized the AAA industry, pointing out that the current environment discourages innovation and makes it unfeasible to develop original ideas without strong financial backing.
The cancellation of the project, which he was working on with his daughter Nicole, was a consequence of repeated refusals from investors to fund his new proposal, which aimed to create a subgenre within horror. After eight months of work and with teams based in the United States and the United Kingdom, the idea had to be abandoned when investment offers did not exceed 5 million dollars, a figure well below the minimum required budget.
Schofield explained that the decision to abandon the project was not easy, but that they were not willing to compromise the creative vision or the quality of the game. The blow was not only creative but also professional: several developers were left unemployed after the cancellation. Schofield himself used his social media to highlight the team's talent and ask for support from other companies to help those affected find new positions.
Criticism of the AAA development model and his departure from the industry
Glen Schofield's case adds to a growing list of developers leaving the industry due to financial pressure and business models that prioritize quick releases over finished content. According to his statements, the pressure to launch The Callisto Protocol ahead of schedule, along with content cuts and technical issues, directly affected its commercial reception.
After leaving Striking Distance Studios in 2023, the company continued to face layoffs. Schofield, meanwhile, decided to focus on other areas such as writing and visual art, although he admitted that he still misses the adrenaline and chaos of video game development.
His experience starkly exposes the fragility of the AAA ecosystem: studios that invest millions and depend on external decisions, while independent developers face serious difficulties in launching original proposals. "Today it's increasingly difficult to launch something new without putting the integrity of the creative vision at risk," he warned.
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