EA is apparently working on a Dead Space first-person shooter, in a bid to expand the action-horror franchise's multi-million player audience.
So far, so in tune with publishing trends. But here's a surprise: EA has also, we're told, optioned a Dead Space flight sim. Because flight sims are all the rage nowadays, aren't they?
All this comes care of a Kotaku source (via CVG), who suggests that new management at EA are unhappy with sales of the first two games. The company supposedly even considered cancelling the unannounced Dead Space 3, heavily leaked earlier this year.
It'll be the last Dead Space game to feature Isaac Clarke, the hapless engineer who stumbled on the Necromorph-stricken USG Ishimura back in Dead Space 1. Can you think of any alternative leading men and women from the Dead Space canon?
Dead Space 3 was first glimpsed on an Israeli TV report in September. According to a Siliconera source, the game features Dead Space 2's Ellie Langford and involves a mystery group "Rosetta".
You might want to look over our feature Eight things we want in Dead Space 3 in light of Kotaku's rumour. Thoughts?
12 comments so far...
Baryonyx on 30 Nov '11 said:
We all know that EA are daft, but canning the Dead Space series as we know it and making it into a FPS would be dreadful. We have enough good FPS games, thank you EA. Your latest effort in the genre (BF3) is pretty shit, so you might as well leave that segment alone for a while.
Bezza89 on 30 Nov '11 said:
Optional first person mode would keep long time fans happy, so they can keep clunky Isaac perving... lol I think he's clunky to add to the 'scariness'.
FP makes sense sales wise, but you risk the wrath of fans if you get rid of the old ways. I personally find First person more immersive and scarier (bioshock warrants tactical pants), but I don't like dead space so wouldn't buy it anyway.
msbhvn on 30 Nov '11 said:
Dead Space and DS2 are both great games. DS2's insultingly juvenile promo campaign (along with a tedious demo) almost convinced me not to buy it at all, so I'm sure EA's PR staff should bear some of the blame for poor sales. Behaviour like this is what has lead to the EA badge on a game case being a sign to look elsewhere. I was going to seek out Extraction as a possible Wii purchase, but if the franchise has no future, I might not bother.
Spiderless on 30 Nov '11 said:
My eyebrows nearly hit the ceiling reading this.
EA sure know how to butcher a series!
golliwoza on 30 Nov '11 said:
F**K EA
B1zuk on 30 Nov '11 said:
Turning Dead Space into an FPS sounds like a huge mistake to me, if the game's already selling 'poorly' it probably wouldn't be wise to upset the current fanbase and, like said above, there are too many big FPS titles around to compete with. But hey, it's not like I have any sway over EA's decisions.
CunningSmile on 30 Nov '11 said:
When was the last time a flight sim sold well?! Why on earth go there?
HLLivingLoco on 30 Nov '11 said:
All that work setting up the sequel and we'll never know what's really going on with the Dead Space franchise. Congratulations EA, you've now unlocked the Idiots-in-Waiting Achievement.
whelly1985 on 30 Nov '11 said:
i never played dead space 1 but played dead space 2 and absolutely loved it- loved it so much i played it twice, i think it would be a mistake to make it into a fps, sales wise yes of course it would sell more but i hope they leave it how it is
CunningSmile on 30 Nov '11 said:
The first game is a bit clunkier in places, particularly the zero G sections, some of the areas can be repetative and I was so glad when Isaac talked in the second because I hate silent protagonists, but DS1 is a lot more atmospheric and creepier as a whole and you can probably pick it up for a fiver if you hunt around. Seriously give it a go if you enjoyed the second one.
Funkcase on 30 Nov '11 said:
If this is true it's proof that EA put's money over quality. To expand the game to a wider audience they're going to turn (imo) the only game series keeping the Survival horror genre alive into nothing more than another generic FPS
?! It's a horror game, what next turn the necromorpths into pretty bunny that give you candy so children can play it?. EA seem to be bad news, I hope the good developers under them like Bioware, Dice and Visceral get the hell away from EA soon before they destroy them.
CPT Random 82 on 1 Dec '11 said:
EA is clearly about the money and not the game...
Loved the first two but seriously another FPS?! Obviously the genre isn't saturated enough.
Doubt I'll be getting it unless the reviewers award it at least a 9 as my hands will be full for a long time with BF3/MW3/GoW3/Skyrim/Arkham City/Deus EX