Dead Space is a series that’s packed with lore resulting in a diehard community of fans knowledgeable about everything from the ins and outs of Unitology, the game’s fictional religious cult, to the origins of protagonist Isaac Clarke’s name. The Dead Space remake helped flesh out the story of the first game by giving Isaac a voice, but the core lore for the story went unchanged. One item included in both the original game and the 2023 remake, however, still leaves plenty of fans scratching their heads.
In Chapter 11: Alternative Solutions, players are able to find and pick up “Peng” a sellable item that, when grabbed, unlocks the trophy “There’s Always Peng!” Because of the trophy associated with it and the high price it sells for, 30,000 Credits, many fans are wondering what the deal with Peng is. Here’s everything you need to know about it.
More Dead Space guides:
| How to Replace the Damaged Tram | Power Nodes Explained | How to Get Security Clearance Level 1 | ‘Scan RIG to Unlock Workstation’ Explained | How to Fast Travel | How to Restart the Centrifuge | How to Find Autopsy Location | How to Get Security Clearance Level 2 | How to Beat the Brute Boss Fight | Is There a Photo Mode? | How to Get the Line Gun | How to Beat the Hunter Boss Fight (First Encounter) | Tissue Sample Location | How to Beat the Leviathan Boss Fight | How to Get Security Clearance Level 3 | How to Destroy Interior Tethers | How to Fix the Comms Array | Front Toward Enemy Trophy Guide | Z-Baller Trophy Guide | How to Beat the Hunter Boss Fight (Second Encounter) |
Peng Explained
Unfortunately, there’s no official explanation for what Peng actually is and what, if anything, it means in terms of Dead Space lore. It’s a small statue of a woman that’s sold for a very high price and can be found in all of the games in the series, but it’s never mentioned in any of the lore documents found scattered across the USG Ishimura or any of the other locations in the series.
While there are no official mentions of it in the text in the games, the word “Peng” is found all over the series on things like in-game advertisements and graffiti on the walls. The ads often show images of women’s faces or simply have tranquil backgrounds. The graffiti, on the other hand, gives a little bit more insight into what Peng actually is. Phrases such as “I give good Peng” and “I want more Peng” allude to Peng being something of a more sexual item.
In terms of what it literally means, “Peng” is English slang for an attractive person which could be the origin of the word in Dead Space. The game isn’t developed by an English studio, however, it’s certainly possible that someone familiar with the word used it while working on the game and it made its way into the final project.
At the end of the day, “Peng” seems to be something of an inside joke that we may never learn the context or origins of. Regardless, make sure to pick up the statue in your playthrough so that you can sell it for a high price.