The creator of Dead Space and co-founder of Sledgehammer Games acknowledges challenges in the industry, saying, "Maybe I've directed my last game," and adding, "it's tough out there"

Glen Schofield, known for co-founding Sledgehammer Games and creating the Dead Space series for EA, has expressed his challenges in the current gaming landscape. He confessed to considering whether he might have directed his last game.

In a straightforward message on LinkedIn, Schofield discussed his struggles in obtaining funding for a new AAA horror game. His public comment noted, "Game Industry: It’s tough out there."

Collaborating with his daughter Nicole and a skilled team from both the UK and the US, Schofield spent the last eight months developing a game proposal. Despite initial interest from potential publishers and investors, he chose to abandon the project, stating, "Some ideas are better left untouched than done cheap."

The funding goal was initially reduced to $17 million to create a prototype with a small team. Although the concept was well-received, further feedback suggested cutting the budget down to $10 million and then to as low as $2–5 million. Faced with these challenges, Schofield decided to step away, leading his team members to seek new employment opportunities.

Schofield, who has a vast range of experience from small teams to leading development on major AAA titles, reflected on his career and current situation. He emphasized his love for creating games and noted the industry's slowdown, indicating that AAA projects seem distant at the moment.

He returned to focusing on his artistic pursuits, sharing, "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. Who knows? If so thank you playing my games."

Schofield, who previously joined Krafton in 2019 to lead Striking Distance Studios, left Activision and Sledgehammer Games in 2018. At Striking Distance, he created The Callisto Protocol, intended as a spiritual successor to Dead Space. While the game was highly anticipated, it did not meet sales predictions, leading Krafton to lower expectations from five million units to two million. Schofield subsequently departed from Striking Distance in 2023 to explore new opportunities. A few months after his exit, Striking Distance reduced its workforce by 32 employees, citing a restructuring of operations.