Glen Schofield, Creator of Dead Space and The Callisto Protocol, Reflects on Career Uncertainty Amid Funding Struggles
Veteran game director Glen Schofield, the visionary behind the seminal horror title Dead Space and more recently The Callisto Protocol, has publicly expressed doubts that he will ever direct another game. In a heartfelt and candid LinkedIn post, Schofield detailed the uphill battle he’s faced over the past eight months attempting to get financial backing for a new horror game project. This time in collaboration with his daughter, Nicole Schofield.
Nicole, an experienced artist in the games industry for eight years, brought the original idea to her father. Described by Schofield as “a new sub-genre of horror, not just horror, but something more,” the project represented an attempt to innovate within the genre he helped shape. Together, they formed a small prototype team, scaled the project’s budget down to $17 million, and began pitching the concept.
“We pulled the budget down to $17 million, built a prototype with a small, talented crew, and started taking meetings. People loved the concept. We got a lot of 2nd and 3rd meetings. But early feedback was ‘get it to $10M.’ Lately, that number’s dropped to $2-5M,” Schofield wrote. Ultimately, the pair decided to shelve the project, unwilling to compromise its creative vision with insufficient resources. “Some ideas are better left untouched than done cheap.”
Schofield’s emotional reflection reveals a deep attachment to the creative chaos and collaborative spirit that come with leading large-scale AAA game development. “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.”
His message also served to spotlight the wider struggles facing the game development community, particularly following massive layoffs across the industry. Nicole was one of those affected during downsizing at Striking Distance Studios, the company Schofield co-founded in 2020 and which produced The Callisto Protocol. SDS is reportedly canceling its next project as well, underscoring how even experienced, well-regarded teams are finding it difficult to secure funding and sustain development efforts in today’s market climate.
Although Schofield hasn’t completely ruled out a return to directing games, he’s taken a step back for now, returning to his roots in art and storytelling. “I’m still around, making art, writing stories and ideas, and still cheering the industry on. But maybe I’ve directed my last game. Who knows? If so, thank you for playing my games.”
The post ends with a bittersweet reminder of the creative spirit that drives developers despite the economic and structural challenges of the industry. Schofield’s games, particularly Dead Space, have left a lasting impact on the horror genre and the medium as a whole.
What do you think of Glen Schofield’s situation and the challenges faced by veteran creators today? Should more studios take risks on bold, genre-defining ideas? Share your thoughts below.
