Dead Space 4 Would Have Been a Next-Gen Sensation It may be a delusion of grandeur, but that doesn't mean we can't indulge the thought...

The hit survival series Dead Space was a bold revelation when it first graced the last generation. After what was a successful trilogy overall, EA eventually pulled the plug on Dead Space. Thus, announcing the closure of Visceral studio. The game’s development team.

At the time, die-hard, Dead Space fanatics where left disappointed. With many questioning the reasons behind its sudden termination. Looking back at the initial statement from EA surrounding the closure of Visceral Studios, we can perhaps attribute this departure to EA’s vision of the future. And, their understanding of the marketplace in general. When discussing plans for the next Star Wars project, EA had the following to say in a statement:

“Our Visceral studio has been developing an action-adventure title set in the Star Wars universe. In its current form, it was shaping up to be a story-based, linear adventure game. Throughout the development process, we have been testing the game concept with players, listening to the feedback about what and how they want to play, and closely tracking fundamental shifts in the marketplace. It has become clear that to deliver an experience that players will want to come back to and enjoy for a long time to come, we needed to pivot the design,” the statement from EA said (Söderlund, n.d).

Looking at this passage in greater detail, it would seem as though EA, where monitoring trends in the marketplace and perhaps felt a linear-style game, would be less productive. Also, longevity appears to be a key concern. Maybe, EA, troubled with a purely story-driven experience, felt that the game would possess little in the way of staying power.

Though the online battle-royale formula is threatening to permeate into every crack and crevice of the video games industry, it is worth noting that, both God of War and Red Dead Redemption 2, last year’s frontrunners, where majoritively single player experiences. Besides, Red Dead Online still needs some work. At least in my eyes.

Regardless, the demise of Dead Space is a tragedy. Just imagine, a fourth iteration on the next-gen? In the right hands, a new entry to the heralded series canon would be out of this world. Though that may be valid, yet wishful thinking, concerns have been raised, over the capabilities of the Frostbite Engine (Schreier, 2017). Suffice to say; its effectiveness, in both Mass Effect Andromeda and Anthem, has been called into question.

All in all, it may be cruel to envision a new Dead Space. But, never say never. Hopefully, someone will carry the torch, and reignite this smash survival horror series from the ash heap. If not, then a little inspiration can go a long way. After all, most games borrow concepts from those that have gone before.

Would you like to see a revival of Dead Space? Or did the trilogy wrap things up adequately? Let us know in the chat. As always, we welcome your views.

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Reference

Electronic Arts, & Söderlund, P. (2018, November 22). An Update on the Visceral Star Wars Project. Retrieved April 16, 2019, from https://www.ea.com/news/an-update-on-the-visceral-star-wars-project?isLocalized=true

Schreier, J., & Schreier, J. (2017, June 21). The Story Behind Mass Effect: Andromeda’s Troubled Five-Year Development. Retrieved April 16, 2019, from https://kotaku.com/the-story-behind-mass-effect-andromedas-troubled-five-1795886428