Glen Schofield, the mind behind Dead Space and director of The Callisto Protocol, has opened up about the tough realities of game development today. He hinted that he might have directed his last game, as securing funding for new AAA projects feels distant. For anyone who’s followed his career, that’s kinda a big deal.
Schofield founded Striking Distance in 2019, initially preparing to create a new title in the PUBG universe. That project evolved into The Callisto Protocol. Despite the hype, the game failed to meet sales expectations, leading to Schofield’s departure from the studio in September 2023.
He shared on LinkedIn that he had been quietly working on a new horror game idea with his daughter Nicole, who herself has eight years of experience in development. They called it a new sub-genre of horror, something more than just the usual scares. Sounds promising, right? But funding proved a nightmare.
They managed to build a prototype with a small team and started pitching it. Initial reactions were positive, but the budget demands kept shrinking, from $17 million down to $10 million, then to $2-5 million. That’s a huge cut, and eventually, they decided to walk away rather than do the idea cheaply.
“Some ideas are better left untouched than done cheap,” Schofield said. Now, the talented crew he assembled is looking for work again. He even asked if anyone’s hiring, which is both hopeful and kinda sad. The AAA space is brutal, and Schofield admits that returning to that level of development feels like a long ways away for him.
He’s currently focusing on art and storytelling outside of directing games, but expressed how much he misses the chaos and joy of building something for fans. “Maybe I’ve directed my last game,” he wrote, “Who knows? If so, thank you for playing my games.”
The Callisto Protocol had a rough reception when it launched in December 2022, right before EA’s Dead Space remake was released to very important acclaim. The poor sales and internal challenges at Striking Distance seem to have taken a toll on Schofield’s plans.
Nicole Schofield was among many developers laid off from Striking Distance this year, reflecting the wider industry struggles. The studio’s most recent release was the roguelike spin-off Redacted, developed by a small team alongside their next full-scale game, which hasn’t been announced yet.
It’s tough to watch a creator like Schofield face these hurdles. Does this mean fewer big horror games from him in the future? Possibly. But who knows what twists are ahead? For now, he’s stepping back, but the industry will surely miss his vision if he doesn’t return.
What do you think? Will Glen Schofield make a comeback with a new game, or is this really the end of an era? Speak for yourself in the comments below.
