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[Update: Gamasutra has received word from EA stating that the rumors surrounding the cancellation of the unannounced Dead Space 4 are “patently false”. Crisis averted?]
Happy Tuesday, everyone. Let’s start the day with some pretty shitty news! According to Videogamer.com‘s inside source, Dead Space 4 is no more. Their source, who was supposedly close to the project, has claimed that EA has shelved the game due to failing to meet sales targets. If the following comment made by EA Labels’ President Frank Gibeau, to CVG last year holds any weight today then 5 Million units was the number that EA was hoping to reach.
“because ultimately you need to get to audience sizes of around five million to really continue to invest in an IP like Dead Space.” Gibeau told CVG. “Anything less than that and it becomes quite difficult financially given how expensive it is to make games and market them.”
VideoGamer’s source explained that Visceral was told to make the game more appealing by adding more action elements a la Mass Effect 3. He or she also spoke of how Dead Space 3 was nearly cancelled mid-way during production; Yikes. Just last month EA had begun to restructure parts of it’s Montreal and Los Angeles studios. According to Visceral’s Dino Ignacio, UI Lead of the Dead Space games “reports of our death were greatly exaggerated. Please stand by.”
This is a kerfuffle if I’ve ever seen one. Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time that EA has been blamed for tainting and damaging a series and its developer, but right now, reports can’t be entirely confirmed. Although, I wouldn’t be surprised if we do see some painful outcome to all this. I enjoyed Dead Space 3 but if it’s the last in the series, that’ll sting a bit. Then again, what kind of game would Dead Space 4 be if EA continued to mutate the series into something more “accessible” in order to meet such high sales targets? I shudder at the thought. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what becomes of this series.
[Source]
