Bad news for fans of EA's chilling horror series, Dead Space. Former writer and producer Chuck Beaver believes a fourth installment of the acclaimed sci-fi franchise is unlikely due to low sales, despite its "fervent fan base."
Speaking on the FRVR Podcast, Beaver admitted that the "numbers just aren't there," explaining that any new game would need to sell over 10 million copies to recoup the high production costs—a tough target even for a breakout horror title.
"Any of the Resident Evils are selling around seven million [copies], that’s a pretty good number," Beaver said. "But companies now are looking for the next Fortnite. They need something that is a perennial moneymaker… something like a single-player package game with no live-service offering is just a dinosaur fossil of a business model."
Beaver was pragmatic, saying it didn't feel "unfair" that the series ended after three games. "It wasn’t like it didn’t get a run out of it," he said. "It’s disappointing that we can’t take a beloved franchise to its logical end, but I understand the numbers. I know why even Motive wasn’t greenlit for anything after the remake."
The Dead Space remake, developed by EA-owned Motive Studio and released in 2023, was well-received but apparently didn't sell enough to convince the publisher to invest in a follow-up. IGN's review gave it a 9/10, calling it "a superb remake and undoubtedly the definitive way to experience one of the best survival horror shooters that Capcom never made."
"Horror games have a bit of a ceiling," Beaver continued. "Back in Frank Gibeau’s day, the number was 5 million units to keep going on Dead Space. Now I think it's like 15 million units, given the cost of things." He joked that it's "a sadness in capitalism for all of us to suffer, until AI makes it easy for you and I to just type 'make Dead Space 4.'"
In October, Dead Space co-creator Glen Schofield told IGN he hoped to revive the franchise despite EA's lack of interest. "I went to [EA] recently and they're like, 'No, we're not interested anymore,'" he said. "I said, 'I can get back the leadership team. I need the models from EA Motive and I can save you 30 to 40 million dollars on the idea I have.' And they said, 'No.'"
"I have quite a few ideas I'm ready to go with, and one of them is Dead Space 4," Schofield continued. "The fact that EA just got bought, I think there’s an opportunity. I’m already making calls."
Last year, EA was acquired by an investor group including PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for about $55 billion. Schofield speculated that to recoup costs, investors might sell off some of EA's dormant IP. "We’ll see," he said. "I don’t know where EA’s head is right now. I don’t think they made money on the remake. Dead Space needs to be adapted to different mediums—movies, TV series. But I am more optimistic since the sale, because somebody new could buy the Dead Space IP."
Earlier this year, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple star Alfie Williams revealed he's been playing Dead Space and pushed for a movie adaptation—if it ever happens.
