Glen Schofield is frustrated with the industry. The veteran may retire from game development after struggling to fund his latest project.
With over 30 years of experience in game development, Glen Schofield is definitely a veteran of the industry. He is probably most remembered for being the creator of the brutal sci-fi horror game Dead Space. He also founded Striking Distance Studios and its debut title The Callisto Protocol.
Schofield stepped away from Striking Distance Studios in 2023 after The Callisto Protocol didn't reach its anticipated sales goal and was seen as a flop. Since then it got quiet around Schofield and what he could be working on at the moment.
New Game Cancelled
In a recent statement on LinkedIn, Schofield explains that he has been quietly working on a new horror game with his daughter. She came up with the idea of a new sub-genre of horror and Schofield was immediately hooked. Together with a small crew, they built a prototype for the game and set its budget at around $17 million. But while there seemed to be interest in financing the game, investors wanted to lower the budget, with some companies offering as little as $2 million.
The team ultimately decided to walk away, with Schofield explaining that "some ideas are better left untouched than done cheap". They had a team of six in the States and a full crew in the UK, with everyone looking for work now. In his statement, it seems like Schofield misses the development of AAA titles.
Possible Retirement And Frustration With The Industry
In the post, Schofield reminisces about his times as a developer and how comfortable he felt working on AAA games. "But with the industry on pause, AAA feels like it's a long ways away". While missing the old days of the industry and creating something for fans, he states that maybe he won't direct a game again.
Unfortunately, his feelings about the industry seem to be an accurate reflection to a certain extend, as it is filled with layoffs, cancelled titles, repetetive games and sequels nobody asked for. At least outside of AAA, games seem to be thriving as the recent Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has shown. Maybe his view on the industry is just too focused on the AAA industry.
Schofield also reassures that he will still be around. He will write stories and ideas, make art and cheer the industry on from the sidelines. But just in case he truly is retiring from directing video games, he thanks everyone who has played his games. It would be a fitting end that the last game he directed – The Callisto Protocol – was a spiritual successor to his magnum opus Dead Space.