EA gives the Dead Space franchise the axe after poor sales of DS3
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grumpy_new_yorker
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EA has ceased development on Dead Space 4 and effectively axed the series following lower than anticipated sales of Dead Space 3, VideoGamer.com has learned.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source familiar with the unannounced project told VideoGamer.com that Dead Space 4 had been in pre-production at Visceral Games, with a small team at Visceral Montreal allegedly tasked with developing prototypes and mock-ups for the title, and collaborating on ideas for the game's narrative.
However, the project was cancelled after Dead Space 3 failed to meet its sales targets, our source claims, telling us that EA executives visited Visceral Montreal last month to inform staff that the project had been terminated and announce details of the company's restructuring.
Visceral Montreal is rumoured to have closed following the restructuring.
Though EA had yet to announce Dead Space 4, Dead Space 3's cliffhanger ending suggested that a fourth game had been planned by the publisher.
As well as discussing Dead Space 4's alleged cancellation, our source also gave us further insight into Dead Space 3's development, telling us that the game was almost cancelled partway through its development, and saw continuous cuts made to its budget throughout production.
Weapon-specific ammo was allegedly switched for generic ammo late in development, too, as a method for shoehorning in the game's controversial micro-transactions.
EA also advised Visceral that Dead Space 3 needed to appeal to a wider audience than the series' previous two titles, our source added, and the studio was reportedly told to focus on action over horror in an effort to make the game feel more like BioWare's Mass Effect.
Our source's comments tally with those made previously by EA.
Last year, EA Labels president Frank Gibeau suggested that Dead Space 3 would need to sell around five million copies in order for the series to survive.
"In general we're thinking about how we make this a more broadly appealing franchise," Gibeau told CVG, "because ultimately you need to get to audience sizes of around five million to really continue to invest in an IP like Dead Space.
"Anything less than that and it becomes quite difficult financially given how expensive it is to make games and market them."
Though sales figures for the game have yet to be officially released, the game's first week sales in the UK were down 26.6 per cent on the game's predecessor Dead Space 2.
In the weeks following its release, Dead Space 3 has gradually slipped further down the charts. The game currently sits at no.8, placing behind last year's Need For Speed: Most Wanted, Far Cry 3 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.
EA announced plans to restructure its Los Angeles and Montreal studios in February, stating that though "many employees are being retrained for new positions... a small number will be released".
A former Visceral Montreal employee claims to have told Game Informer that "the entire studio has been laid off".
EA told VideoGamer.com that it does not comment on rumour or speculation when contacted about Dead Space 4's alleged cancellation.
http://www.videogamer.com/xbox360/dead_space_3/news/dead_space_4_canned_series_in_trouble_following_poor_sales_of_dead_space_3.html
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source familiar with the unannounced project told VideoGamer.com that Dead Space 4 had been in pre-production at Visceral Games, with a small team at Visceral Montreal allegedly tasked with developing prototypes and mock-ups for the title, and collaborating on ideas for the game's narrative.
However, the project was cancelled after Dead Space 3 failed to meet its sales targets, our source claims, telling us that EA executives visited Visceral Montreal last month to inform staff that the project had been terminated and announce details of the company's restructuring.
Visceral Montreal is rumoured to have closed following the restructuring.
Though EA had yet to announce Dead Space 4, Dead Space 3's cliffhanger ending suggested that a fourth game had been planned by the publisher.
As well as discussing Dead Space 4's alleged cancellation, our source also gave us further insight into Dead Space 3's development, telling us that the game was almost cancelled partway through its development, and saw continuous cuts made to its budget throughout production.
Weapon-specific ammo was allegedly switched for generic ammo late in development, too, as a method for shoehorning in the game's controversial micro-transactions.
EA also advised Visceral that Dead Space 3 needed to appeal to a wider audience than the series' previous two titles, our source added, and the studio was reportedly told to focus on action over horror in an effort to make the game feel more like BioWare's Mass Effect.
Our source's comments tally with those made previously by EA.
Last year, EA Labels president Frank Gibeau suggested that Dead Space 3 would need to sell around five million copies in order for the series to survive.
"In general we're thinking about how we make this a more broadly appealing franchise," Gibeau told CVG, "because ultimately you need to get to audience sizes of around five million to really continue to invest in an IP like Dead Space.
"Anything less than that and it becomes quite difficult financially given how expensive it is to make games and market them."
Though sales figures for the game have yet to be officially released, the game's first week sales in the UK were down 26.6 per cent on the game's predecessor Dead Space 2.
In the weeks following its release, Dead Space 3 has gradually slipped further down the charts. The game currently sits at no.8, placing behind last year's Need For Speed: Most Wanted, Far Cry 3 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.
EA announced plans to restructure its Los Angeles and Montreal studios in February, stating that though "many employees are being retrained for new positions... a small number will be released".
A former Visceral Montreal employee claims to have told Game Informer that "the entire studio has been laid off".
EA told VideoGamer.com that it does not comment on rumour or speculation when contacted about Dead Space 4's alleged cancellation.
http://www.videogamer.com/xbox360/dead_space_3/news/dead_space_4_canned_series_in_trouble_following_poor_sales_of_dead_space_3.html
Comments
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i hate that series anyways.
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From what I read online most people hated the changes they made in 3
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Yea they made 3 unscary, boring and repetitive.
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KINGOFDAARCADE wrote: »i hate that series anyways.
Why do you hate things you know nothing about? I bet you hate vaginas too.
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Good riddance. Long, boring ass ? .
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When they're that boring it feels like ? forever.
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First 2 were pretty dope. Will not pick up the 3rd due to the micro-transaction and many gamers felt this way, which led to lackluster sales.
Remember when you paid your $60 and you got a complete game, ? is out of hand now, first day DLC which should have been included on the disc being sold for $10 a pop, you can end up spending around $100 on launch day for game if you bought all the DLC. -
i heard that they change the third game from the first two which were good.
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I'm enjoying DS3 .................. but not liking the new Bench and upgrade system
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I'm enjoying DS3 .................. but not liking the new Bench and upgrade system
They've really over complicated it. It's wack too. They should have left it and made different guns. -
Exactly -
My roomate bought the 3rd. Ive played the 2nd one and enjoyed it but the 3rd one didnt seem as fun.
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KINGOFDAARCADE wrote: »i hate that series anyways.
3 games is good enough. It wasn't that good of a series anyway.
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EA stay ? ? up.
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Never played any Dead Space.
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? playing the game lost
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I expect a reboot next gen.
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This is some bs there going to ? the game up with micro transactions then probably layoff the Developers they forced to implement it
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Seems like the heart and soul is going out of gaming.
Some developers just don't have ? anymore. -
EA running their own franchise into the ground again...
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this cant be life
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Yall have it too good to be complaining about this. We're spoiled.