Glen Schofield, who co-created Dead Space, co-founded Sledgehammer Video games, and most not too long ago directed The Callisto Protocol, mentioned “it is robust on the market” within the video games trade, and admitted he had probably “directed my final recreation” after failing to safe monetary help for his newest prototype.
In a candid submit on LinkedIn, Schofield mentioned he’d been working together with his “nice artist” daughter, Nicole, who went to him with an thought for a brand new horror recreation — possibly even a brand new horror sub-genre, though he did not specify what — and had been engaged on the thought for the final eight months.
Alongside a “small, gifted crew” of six U.S. devs and a “full crew” within the UK, Schofield mentioned he began speaking to folks, most of whom “liked the idea.” Initially surmising he’d want round $17 million, the director was suggested to decrease the funds to “get it to $10 million,” earlier than being instructed to additional streamline the challenge to come back in at round “$2-5 million.”
“So final month, we determined to stroll away. Some concepts are higher left untouched than accomplished low-cost,” Schofield wrote. “We had a crew of six right here within the States and a full crew within the UK. Now, everybody’s wanting for work. They’re all gifted people — in the event you’re hiring, let me know.
“As for me — I’ve labored on video games of each measurement. From two of us to over 300 devs. Spent the final 15–20 years making large AAA titles with nice groups. That’s what I do. That’s what I really like. However with the trade on pause, AAA feels prefer it’s a protracted methods away.”
Schofield says he is “again to [his] artwork,” however admits he misses AAA growth.
“I miss all of it; the crew, the chaos, the enjoyment of constructing one thing for followers. I’m nonetheless round, making artwork, writing tales and concepts, and nonetheless cheering the trade on. However possibly I’ve directed my final recreation. Who is aware of? In that case, thanks [for] taking part in my video games.”
Putting Distance was based over six years in the past by Schofield. The studio is a subsidiary of Krafton, the mum or dad firm that owns the rights to the broadly widespread battle royale recreation PUBG. The studio was initially fashioned to create a narrative-driven recreation set within the PUBG universe, however in the end launched The Callisto Protocol, a third-person survival horror separate from PUBG that launched in December 2022.
Callisto Protocol was met with blended critiques and plagued with issues, from efficiency points to reviews of studio crunch and points with crediting folks who contributed to the event. Roughly a month after launch, it was reported that the sport failed to satisfy Krafton’s gross sales expectations, and Schofield ultimately left the corporate in September 2023.
We thought The Callisto Protocol was ‘Good,’ awarding it a 7/10 in our evaluate, writing: “The Callisto Protocol is a satisfyingly gory non secular successor to the Dead Space sequence, however it’s in the end extra of a placing trendy mimic than a scary new mutation.”
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, in addition to a critic, columnist, and marketing consultant with 15+ years expertise working with a number of the world’s largest gaming websites and publications. She’s additionally a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually Excessive Chaos. Discover her at BlueSky.