Make no mistake about it, video games are difficult to create. Even if you have the simplest idea for what you think your game can be, you still need to render it, program it, ensure everything works properly, and then market it so that people will play it, and if you do all of that…you MIGHT make some money. When you get to the AAA space, things are even harder, as there are more expectations on you due to the competition all around you. That is one reason why Glen Schofield, the man behind Dead Space, is implying that he might be done directing video games.
The reveal came via LinkedIn, where he posted a tale about how he was working with his daughter on a prototype for a video game title that he felt was “something he’d never seen before.” After making the prototype and shopping it around, the “buzzsaw” of the gaming industry hit them hard. They felt they could get the game made for about $17 million, which actually isn’t too bad for a video game these days. However, all the meetings they took had the investors saying it needed to be “$10 million” or even $2-5 million, which is far less than they thought they could do before. So, the two had to make a tough decision:
“So last month, we decided to walk away. Some ideas are better left untouched than done cheap. We had a team of six here in the States and a full crew in the UK. Now, everyone’s looking for work. They’re all talented folks—if you’re hiring, let me know.”
As for his own place in the gaming universe, he admits that trying to make a AAA title with how everything is right now is anything but a sure thing:
“As for me—I’ve worked on games of every size. From 2 of us to over 300 devs. Spent the last 15–20 years making big AAA titles with great teams. That’s what I do. That’s what I love. But with the industry on pause, AAA feels like it’s a long ways away. So I’m back to my art. I miss it all; the team, the chaos, the joy of building something for fans. I’m still around, making art, writing stories and ideas and still cheering the industry on. But maybe I’ve directed my last game “
Sadly, this kind of story is very familiar in the gaming space, as certain companies are laying off people in great numbers or canceling projects even when they have a lot of time into them, or have great potential. It’s a very different kind of “Dead Space,” depending on how you look at it.
