Dead Space co-creator leaves studio following failure of spiritual successor

Glen Schofield, the creator of the popular Dead Space series and Founder of The Callisto Protocol developer Striking Distance Studios, is departing from the gaming company. His latest foray into the horror genre with The Callisto Protocol received mixed reactions since its release last year.

The news, confirmed by Bloomberg and a representative of Korean publisher Krafton, the parent company of Striking Distance, outlines that Schofield decided to step down to explore new opportunities. Alongside Schofield, Stacey Hirata, Chief Operating Officer, and Johnny Hsu, Chief Financial Officer, are also leaving.

Schofield expressed both excitement and melancholy over the decision in a press release. He expressed his pride in what his team accomplished with The Callisto Protocol, which holds a special place in his heart. He also conveyed optimism about the future of Striking Distance Studios under the new leadership of Steve Papoutsis, a former colleague at Visceral Games, who is stepping up as the new CEO. Papoutsis has previously worked on all the original Dead Space games, making him a fitting successor.

The departure of Schofield and others is somewhat overshadowed by the news that The Callisto Protocol had failed to live up to sales expectations. It was reported that the game only sold around two million units, falling short of an approximate target of five million units. The figure is particularly concerning considering the game's reported budget of £132 million. Moreover, Striking Distance has had a lean phase lately, with layoffs impacting 32 employees earlier this year.