Dead Space Creator Thanks EA & Activision for Experience
"It’s tough to watch these companies step back from what they once were."
Motive
These past couple of years have brought us two major acquisitions: Microsoft buying Activision and Saudi Arabia's PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners getting Electronic Arts.
Glen Schofield, the creator of Dead Space and The Callisto Protocol, spent significant time, "roughly a decade" at each company and thanked them both in his new LinkedIn post, recalling his time there and lamenting the loss of a whole era.
To him, the acquisitions are a "bittersweet" moment, as he was there with them in their prime. "Watching them fade from their roles as dominant publishers and powerhouse training grounds hits harder than I expected."
When Schofield was with EA, it was "buttoned-up, disciplined, and structured in a way that forced you to rise to the level of the room," he said. It was tough – "they’d challenge you, push you, test you" – but rewarding: "When you walked out of that meeting, you knew exactly where you stood."
"I’ll never forget my first Executive Producer meeting. It felt like a creative all-star lineup: The Sims, Tiger Woods, Lord of the Rings, Bond… so many legends in one place. I learned fast, but I also had brilliant creative leaders just a phone call away."
Moreover, EA gave him a chance to make Dead Space, and for this, Schofield is grateful.
As for Activision, it was "a storm of A-type personalities, but in the best possible way," with loud, chaotic, passionate meetings aiming to make the game better.
"They had Call of Duty experts who showed me the ropes and then tossed me straight into the fire. I loved my time there. MW3 was unlike anything I’d ever experienced, and Activision’s marketing team… they were on another planet. Their ideas and execution set a standard most companies still chase today."
With these experiences in mind, it's difficult for Schofield to watch these companies "step back from what they once were: major publishers, major developers, and incredible places to grow, learn, and sharpen your craft. They trained generations of us. They made careers. Mine included."
On the other hand, it's time for others to step up, he thinks. " New leaders. New studios. New publishers."
"Someone will take that mantle, we always do as an industry. And when they do, I hope they lead, teach, and invest in talent the way EA and Activision did. They set a bar that pushed all of us to be better."
Perhaps the new chapter will bring new Schofields with their own Dead Spaces.
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