Overwatch 2

The original Overwatch was a runaway success that garnered a sizeable player base and many awards, and many fans were understandably excited about the sequel. Overwatch 2’s announcement sparked excitement with promises of expanded PvE and a broader scope, but what we got in reality was a shooter that lost focus of what made it so special in the first place. The magic of Overwatch’s PvE was gone, and the expanded PvP options felt shallow and generic.

So anyway, it’s reportedly not getting a sequel any time soon. That distinction is important, by the way, but Motive Studios is allegedly not working on a Dead Space 2 remake or a follow-up to last year’s remake.

Let’s go back a few days. Motive is already confirmed to be working on Marvel’s Iron Man in Unreal Engine 5. It was recently announced that the studio would also assist on the developer-hungry machine that’s the Battlefield franchise, building a new team for the same.

After the failure of Battlefield 2042, a massive structure change was announced, with Respawn Entertainment founder Vince Zampella becoming the boss of all things Battlefield. Since then, Ridgeline Studios has shut down, and Criterion is now leading development on single-player Battlefield content. Marvel’s Iron Man continues, having reached a “major internal milestone” earlier this year.

Amid this, Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb reported on the Game Mess Mornings podcast that a Dead Space 2 remake was in the works at Motive but had been shelved due to “lackluster sales” of the first game’s remake. As for whether it ever happens or not, Grubb was unsure, but that it was in the concepting phase, “definitely in pre-production”, and now that work has been sidelined in favor of Iron Man and Battlefield.

At this point, you’re probably thinking, as most would, “EA bad”, but then a twist occurred: EA responded to the report. Did it assure fans that it still loves the Dead Space franchise and that they shouldn’t worry about the future? No. Instead, a spokesperson told IGN outright, “We don’t normally comment on rumors, but there is no validity to this story.”

You’d think that would be the end, but Grubb responded and effectively doubled down. “I give you my permission to believe EA if you want, but whenever a company says ‘that isn’t true’, but they don’t specify which part of the story they are talking about, well … yeah.

“Dead Space 2 was definitely being planned. It had a code name. And they aren’t making it now.” Regardless of whether you believe the publisher or Grubb (who has a pretty good track record with rumors and industry happenings), he does raise a good point. Which part of the story wasn’t true? That sales were lackluster? That a Dead Space 2 remake was in the concepting phase or at least considered?

Here’s where things get about as confusing as the decision to put microtransactions in Dead Space 3. Grubb pointed to a tweet by Motive responding to a user about whether Dead Space would be seen again. “We will continue to operate as a two-project team, and we’re focused on the development of Iron Man and collaborating on the future of Battlefield.”

So, while it isn’t a straight-up “Never” in the style of Ralph Bighead, it pretty much confirms that a Dead Space 2 remake isn’t happening. Case closed? Not quite.

Enter Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier. After speaking to sources that couldn’t be named, he reported that the Dead Space series is on ice again and that this decision was made in Spring 2023 – a few months after the Dead Space remake’s launch. Sales allegedly didn’t meet EA’s expectations, and while Motive reportedly looked into some ideas for a new entry in the series, nothing was greenlit.

Plans essentially “fizzled out before they could get very far,” and the team began “exploring other ideas” last Summer. Meanwhile, its developers moved on to other projects, as seen with Iron Man and now Battlefield (and it wouldn’t be surprising if they’re working on other titles at other EA studios).

Schreier would then address Grubb’s rumor and EA’s response directly. “People familiar with the project tell Bloomberg that EA’s statement is correct,” said Schreier on Twitter. “Motive has been on other projects for nearly a year.” If that wasn’t clear enough, he added that not only was it “never greenlit” but that “the project’s leaders wanted to do a brand new game, not another remake.”

Grubb would respond to Schreier’s report, stating that it all lined up with what he was told. That a Dead Space 2 remake was considered “in the months leading up to” the Dead Space remake’s and that it was ultimately “put on the shelf.”

Schreier would then clarify one point of contention – the supposed code name that the project had. He revealed that “Motive used the same code name to describe *whatever project* that the Dead Space team was working on next, hence the confusion on Jeff’s part. It was never really a Dead Space 2 remake, and for nearly a year, it’s had nothing to do with Dead Space.”

If that wasn’t enough, as if this whole tale wasn’t already confusing, Schreier clarified what he meant by “plans fizzled” on Resetera. “Plans fizzled, but they mostly involved a Dead Space sequel. A Dead Space 2 remake was not seriously considered.”

Consider that statement for a second. It doesn’t make too much sense, right? Was Motive looking to work on Dead Space 4? Wouldn’t a remake of Dead Space 2 technically be considered a sequel since it’s following last year’s release? We now get into spoilers for the first game’s remake, so if you haven’t finished it or even engaged in New Game Plus, skip ahead. You have been warned.

After completing a playthrough and starting a New Game Plus run, you had the optional task of collecting 12 Marker Fragments throughout various chapters. Isaac can then go to the Executive Quarters, access the captain’s room and interact with his creepy display. After some spooky shenanigans, the Marker Fragments would be on the table, and the player can complete the game.

However, a different ending would play, with Isaac interacting with the hallucination of Nicole and talking about building “a little something first,” promising that she would like it. Meanwhile, the ship’s interior is covered in Marker symbols, hinting at a potentially different story in the sequel.

There you have it. Motive wasn’t reportedly looking to remake Dead Space 2 but to create a sequel to the Dead Space remake. When asked on Resetera if this was the case, Schreier responded, “Now imagine having to explain this to your non-gaming news editors.”

Of course, everything is all rumors and reports, and regardless of who you believe, the common thread is that the Dead Space remake didn’t perform well. This all culminated in the best possible response from a Resetera member: “I’m going to keep it a buck with y’all. Dead Space 2 Remake, Dead Space Nu or Dead Space 4 – I don’t care, I just wanted more Dead Space and now I’m” replace the last two words with spicier language.

If we take Schreier’s wording at face value, this would have been a brand-new game. A new start to the franchise, even. If you’re hopeful, like me, it would mean a new plot for Dead Space 3, and then we could wipe the awful original from our memories. Unfortunately, that’s not happening, and at this point, it’s impossible to predict when a new Dead Space, remake or otherwise, will ever happen.

Is it the fans’ fault for not being dedicated enough to the series to ensure the remake’s success? Is it the fault of Electronic Arts for not marketing the title and attracting enough newcomers or outright killing interest in the franchise with Dead Space 3 before putting it on ice for so long? Was it bad timing, with so many other big releases in that quarter?

We may never really know or even understand the publisher’s expectations. However, one thing is for sure – it views titles like Battlefield and Marvel’s Iron Man as more worthy of devoting resources to. Whether you think that’s right or wrong, it’s a safe choice when it comes to pleasing the shareholders. Try convincing them to pour more money into another remake that may not perform as well as its predecessor, then try to explain that it’s actually a sequel to the first game’s remake and not the second game’s remake.

There’s a lot more to be said about this, but as The Start Menu editor-in-chief, Lex Luddy, noted on the same podcast with Grubb, “How have we gotten to a point where remakes are no longer a safe bet?” Where remakes of beloved titles, even after receiving so much care and attention, are no longer viable in today’s market? The original Dead Space sold one million copies after the first four months of release, yet it was also a commercial disappointment for Electronic Arts.

Time is a flat circle, yada yada, but you would think that the sequel, which shipped nearly two million units in the first week alone, would also have built enough goodwill over time, right? Or at least created enough fans that they’d like to be a part of the revival all these years later. Sadly, just because Dead Space 2 shipped more units in its first week doesn’t necessarily mean it did better.

EA CEO Andrew Wilson revealed in October 2017 that the sequel sold four million units since launching in 2011, which should be great, but it cost $65 million to make. After factoring in all the costs (like storefront fees for Xbox and PlayStation), it was also considered a commercial failure. The less said about Dead Space 3, the better. All of this is enough to make you wonder – was a Dead Space remake really the best call, at least from a publisher’s standpoint?

Did it make sense to pour so much money, potentially more than the original games, into a property that isn’t a proven money-maker? Or is it a consequence of the current triple-A development cycle, where a $70 title debuting as the second best-selling title of the month in the United States isn’t a recipe for success?

One could point to 2019’s Resident Evil 2 going on to sell 13.6 million units by December 2023, as an example that they work, but the same trend of success can’t apply to other titles so easily. It’s ironic because the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3 reportedly inspired Dead Space to make a comeback. Meanwhile, EA’s remake languishes.

There’s a lot more one could say about the franchise outside of this entire Dead Space 2 remake confusion. I’ve already said plenty about the multi-studio approach to Battlefield, which, despite forming over two years ago, has yet to announce any new titles or really anything at all apart from other studios that are joining the fray.

How Motive will get mixed up in that remains to be seen, and whether it leads to success – that too by modern, unsustainable triple-A standards – is another scary question. Here’s hoping that the superhero well hasn’t dried up in the games industry and that Marvel’s Iron Man becomes a success if nothing else.

Horror games – and their remakes – come and go. We’re due for a remake of Silent Hill 2 from Bloober Team at some point, and despite misgivings, it could end up a commercial success. Then again, maybe it won’t. Worst of all, that success may not be enough. Regardless, as far as Dead Space is concerned, it’s probably best to savor the memories of the original two games and the remake and ultimately let go. As much as I want to see a continuation and maybe even a definitive conclusion where Isaac finds peace, perhaps it’s just another dream with a monster at the end of it.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

According to Beaver, some of the more controversial parts of Dead Space 3 were developed because: “There’s a return on investment number that has to be hit, so there were some calculated risks that we all made that we thought would do it, and it didn’t work out.”

For context, Dead Space 3 was a major departure from the franchise’s roots. The game included a co-op mode for its main campaign, and also included a new weapon crafting system that was also monetised, allowing players to pay real money to get their hands on more crafting materials to make better weapons.

Beaver goes on to talk about the decision to include co-op in Dead Space 3, owing quite a bit to the relatively low popularity of the survival horror genre at the time of the game’s release back in 2013.

“I mean, that’s almost inarguable at this point,” Beaver replied, “because the cap seems to be around 2 million people who are really wanting to see it,” said Beaver in response to CaptinBribo suggesting that there was a cap on the number of players interested in single-player horror titles at the time.

“The plan was that we would expand into other gameplay genres and stuff, and I think all those bits together not only didn’t generate a new audience, they lost the old audience,” explained Beaver.

“The gun mechanic, the re-crafting, [we] missed a lot of the stuff that everybody loved about the old one, and then created a whole bunch of exploration space – we were on a big wide open planet because of that. And all these decisions had lots of follow-on. And then co-op – the hits just kept coming – it was like ‘what? Co-op?’”

Beaver goes on to talk about Dead Space 3 essentially losing its identity because it no longer became clear what the game was shaping up to be. Since it included co-op and a more open space for exploration compared to its predecessors, Beaver likens it more to a game like the Uncharted series, complete with big set pieces, puzzles, and a more adventurous feeling.

“We weren’t allowed to make a horror game from the beginning so [creative director] Ben [Wanat] and I were like, well, what are we making?” says Beaver. “If you look at it, it’s a beautiful Drake’s Uncharted game, an adventure with puzzles and set pieces.”

Beaver believes that the best way to tackle Dead Space 3 again would be to just start completely from scratch and tap into the ending of Dead Space 2 to tell the story of protagonist Isaac Clarke losing his mind, and the consequences of him being broken.

“I would just start from complete scratch and I would make this […] about the end of Dead Space 2,” he explained. “He’s broken, and now this is the adventure of Isaac in Dead Space 3 – broken Isaac. he tried to do the thing, tried to do the truth, it broke him, and now we’re in the consequences of him being broken.

“And I would make it like a Tyler Durden thing, an unreliable narrator where you’re like ‘what happened?’ and the player maybe doesn’t even know, Isaac certainly doesn’t know.”

ANTHEM

After having built itself up as one of the best Western RPG developers in the industry over the course of decades, with Anthem, BioWare decided to go down the live service looter shooter route, and it was… well, let’s be generous here and say it wasn’t great. Anthem was a failure by pretty much every metric, because not only was it sorely lacking in the things that had made previous BioWare games as great as they were, it wasn’t even a good looter shooter. Hell, it wasn’t even a competent one. It was rife with technical and connectivity issues, missions and objectives were boring, the loot balancing and progression systems were broken, and there was a shocking lack of content, a terrible issue to have a for a game that claims to be live service. Of course, it didn’t even end up being live service in the end, because after a short period that saw intermittent and underwhelming updates (and some talk of a complete overhaul), BioWare and EA ultimately decided that it just wasn’t worth the effort, and chose to shut Anthem down.

And as many may have predicted, it looks like more remakes are part of the plan. As shared on Twitter by @TafferKing451, EA has been sending out a survey to fans that inquires whether they’d be interested in similar remakes of Dead Space 2 and Dead Space 3.

This comes off the back of multiple statements by developer Motive Studio about wanting to continue working on the franchise, and that it already has ideas about how to proceed with the series going forward. Interestingly, an easter egg in the Dead Space remake’s New Game Plus mode has also pointed to a remake of Dead Space 2.

Dead Space is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Pfft. The survey EA is sending out. On the wall – the writing. pic.twitter.com/o2f1OPC1zM

— Dillon Rogers (@TafferKing451) February 25, 2023

Based on Visceral Games’ (then EA Redwood Shores) 2008 survival horror title, the remake offers completely revamped environments with incredible atmospherics and details. Sure, Isaac Clarke’s face change may take some getting used to. However, the new elements, from the enhanced Zero-G gameplay and new sound FX to the Intensity Director with its random events and the Peeling system for enhanced realism when killing enemies, look great.

The fact that the development team are big fans of the series, and integrating so many interesting elements without disturbing the core of the experience, is also great.

And yet, there is some trepidation about the future of the franchise. When Dead Space launches this month, it will be important in several ways. It may attract a significant new following, eager to see what made the original so good. It could cater to those hungry for a stellar sci-fi survival horror, especially after the dismal launch of The Callisto Protocol.

It could also fail in both of these departments. After all, despite glowing previews for the original Dead Space, sales were slow in the early going. Though it eventually sold one million copies about four months after launch, it was looked upon as a disappointment initially. Which wasn’t that big of a deal in the long run – Dead Space 2 was greenlit and shipped nearly two million units in its first week. Resident Evil meets Metroid and Event Horizon may have been a hard sell at first, but it ultimately paid off (until Dead Space 3, of course).

It’s a different era, though, and predicting the direction that Electronic Arts could take is hard. It’s known to put franchises on ice if they don’t meet expectations (see Mass Effect, after Mass Effect Andromeda’s underwhelming performance). When The Callisto Protocol launched, I viewed it and the Dead Space remake launching close together as beneficial to both.

However, it’s sadly ironic that the former’s disappointing release could affect the latter. Maybe people are wary about jumping into another sci-fi survival horror, especially since the co-creator’s newest title wasn’t that great. Time will tell.

On top of all this is the marketing for Dead Space lately. Don’t get me wrong – the developer livestreams have been great, and there’s been a good amount of gameplay footage. However, compared to the media blitz of The Callisto Protocol – which had the Helix Station podcast, daily reveals, live-action trailers, and so on – the publicity for Dead Space has been rather tame.

You’d think this wouldn’t be a concern but look at Need for Speed Unbound. It debuted in the UK with 64 percent fewer sales than its predecessor, Need for Speed Heat. Sales only dropped further on. Though part of the tenth biggest video game IP in the UK, its lack of marketing was blamed for the low sales. Even post-launch, Electronic Arts has been relatively quiet on future updates (aside from the departure of five Criterion veterans from the studio).

There’s the hope that news on Dead Space will pick up now that the publisher and development team are back from the holidays. It wouldn’t be strange if EA is banking on nostalgia carrying the release forward, but in this day and age, it may not be enough. 2019’s Resident Evil 2 reportedly served as an inspiration, but it received a substantial amount of marketing before release. It shouldn’t even be a question with EA’s considerable resources, but that’s probably not how it looks at some of its titles.

Of course, there’s another case to consider: Dead Space’s success. Assuming the remake does well enough that there’s an overwhelming demand for more, the question is: Where does EA go from there? Do they develop remakes for Dead Space 2 and 3? Would it be possible, given that Motive is working on Marvel’s Iron Man? Would a different studio be brought on, or would the publisher not risk it? With Dead Space 2’s increased size and scale, how much more extensive would the remake have to be to surpass it?

Then there’s Dead Space 3. Microtransactions may have been the major issue, but several core changes caused it to deviate from the previous games, making it much less appealing. Will EA overhaul many of those elements and revamp the game to be even scarier, in keeping with its predecessors?

Will it keep it the same while removing the more annoying features? Again, it’s hard to say, but the lack of major changes will likely not be received well. Also, given Dead Space 3’s status as the game that effectively killed the franchise, many may be wary about playing the remake for whatever reason.

There’s also the question of Dead Space’s long-term future. Let’s say the remake goes above and beyond expectations, selling millions of copies. Does the publisher greenlight the next two remakes and go home happy? Or does it revive the franchise and continue it, finally releasing a brand new Dead Space? It’s something fans have asked for years, and demand could very well drive them to do it. Then again, it may opt for the safe approach and continue remaking the other games before taking any major risks.

I feel a sequel is long overdue. Even before a remake was announced, Dead Space always stood as an incredible universe with endless potential for horror and mystery. There’s still so much unknown about the Necromorphs and Unitology, the broken-down futuristic technology and the state of humanity. The series has always taken place from the perspective of Isaac Clarke, but in essence, it’s a human story, examining the things that make us scared, doubtful or determined for what’s to come.

Even if the end of Dead Space 3 left a lot to be desired, there’s still enough humanity left in the universe to make it worth continuing. Maybe the sequel could take place several years later with a new protagonist, telling a new story while bringing back the Necromorphs.

Or it could feature an older Isaac that seeks to end the threat once and for all. They could even have the entire universe infected by the Necromorphs, save for a small system of isolated civilizations that uses primitive weapons to fight back. There are many interesting directions and potentially unique gameplay scenarios to craft while maintaining the series’ penchant for survival horror.

That’s perhaps the most worrying part about any potential future that Dead Space could have. Despite their ups and downs, Resident Evil and Silent Hill are iconic franchises for Capcom and Konami. It’s unknown if EA looks at Dead Space the same way and is thus willing to commit to a vision, even if it means reinventing the wheel and pushing the series forward in a big way.

The Dead Space remake launches on January 27th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Here’s hoping it makes enough impact to warrant a longer-term plan for the franchise and a potential sequel somewhere down the line.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

But is that the case? Was Dead Space 3 really that bad – or was it a misunderstood experiment that’s much better than series fans initially thought it was? Was it an underrated gem? Of course, the answer to that question doesn’t boil down to a single yes or no – and there are many things that need to be taken into consideration before drawing a conclusion. All that said, let’s dive in and take a look back at Dead Space 3 all these years later.

The scenario surrounding the development of Dead Space 3 was an interesting one. In spite of Dead Space 2 boasting rave reviews, the game failed to hit its projected sales numbers – and at one point, EA even had plans to outright cancel the third game as per multiple reports of the time. To avoid the same failures, the team felt that the game needed to appeal to the larger masses rather than the survival horror niche that the first 2 games targeted.

So the team took inspiration from the likes of Uncharted and Gears of War – both of which were raking in great sales figures with each entry, and the developers set out to create a game that would incorporate action elements into its survival horror formula with high-stakes set-pieces and shootout sequences among other new elements – and we got the Dead Space 3 that we know today.

But while Dead Space 3 upped the ante when it came to gameplay, it took a step back in terms of its plot. The first two games showcased a deeply disturbed protagonist as he does everything in his might to survive and learn more about the Necromorphs. Dead Space 3 flips the formula on its head as the story essentially revolves around him trying to stop a Necromorph infection from spreading on Earth, which could have been a nice change of pace from usual survival horror – but ends up feeling forced with many characters and events not contributing anything meaningful to the narrative proceedings which ultimately results in a padded-out experience. That said, it’s not all that bad since some of the newer characters like Carver are well-written with interesting character arcs that are worth seeing through to the end.

Over on the gameplay front, Dead Space 3 feels a lot better than its predecessors thanks to smooth animations that blend nicely into one another. The core gameplay revolves around shooting your way through Necromorphs as you strategically dismember their limbs by making judicial use of your ammunition, and it’s just as fun as it was before. You could also take cover to hide from incoming fire, since there are scenarios where you will come across fights against other human soldiers who would obviously use ranged weaponry.

The game features a decent assortment of weapons to choose from the likes of Plasma Cutter, EG-900 SMG, Evangelizer among others – and they all feel pretty distinct from one another. The ammunition is consumed from a common pool, so you always have a lot of options in how you choose to go about encounters. You also have special abilities such as kinesis which allows you to manipulate objects, and you also get Stasis which allows Isaac to slow down a target’s movement temporarily – allowing him to easily target weak parts to dispatch enemies.

Players can also upgrade their weapons during their travels, which was something that was presumably done with an intention of adding some RPG-esque character progression to the gameplay. Furthermore, Isaac can also undertake several side-missions at many points throughout the story – which would give you additional rewards that would go towards making Isaac stronger. Hell, there’s even a new game+ option that lets Isaac wreak havoc on his adversaries with his high-level endgame gear. There are also action-heavy cinematic sequences including but not limited to zero-g sections – and all of it culminates to make Dead Space 3’s gameplay loop more empowering than its predecessors.

Briefly talking about the visuals, Dead Space 3 also provided a noticeable bump in graphical fidelity from Dead Space 2 – which was also a pretty beautiful game for its time. But Dead Space 3 improved on those foundations with a thicker sense of atmosphere, beautiful vistas, and plenty of sprawling levels filled with great attention to detail. Suffice it to say, it was easily one of the best-looking games of the generation – and it did all that without sacrificing on performance.

Once you are done with your single-player adventures, you could hop back into the game with a buddy for some co-op action which lets the second player assume the role of Carver. Playing that way reveals additional story beats with alternative cutscenes, and you could also partake in special side-missions that wouldn’t be available otherwise. All in all, Dead Space 3 plays and feels a lot different from its predecessors despite having been cut from the same cloth.

Ultimately, the game’s tonal shifts and differences from prior entries became the most divisive factors when it comes to Dead Space 3 – and the developer’s attempts to capture a larger audience with these changes bit them back in the foot as it alienated series fans. Sure, there are some objective shortcomings with the experience such as repetitive encounters and uninteresting stretches of story, but taken on the whole – it’s a solid experience with plenty to like as well.

We also have to consider the fact that EA purposefully added microtransactions into a single-player game, which further added fuel to the fire – resulting in an audience that got frustrated with the publisher’s business practices and all of it ultimately hampered the game’s reception. EA once again failed to hit its projected sales numbers when it came to Dead Space 3, and any plans of a sequel were promptly dismembered and the developer was reduced to a support studio until 2017 when it finally closed doors.

Now that all that fuss is over and the smoke has finally cleared out, Dead Space 3 actually is a good experience – one that smartly trades the franchise’s survival horror roots for some high-stakes action, but makes sure that you put enough effort into a sense of power fantasy with upgraded weapons and abilities. The co-op and new game-plus modes are also great ways of re-experiencing the game from a fresh perspective. Sure, it’s nothing that will blow you away – and it’s by no means an underrated gem (a 78 score on Metacritic seems just for the kind of experience that it offers). But if you have a hankering for some more Dead Space action, entry number 3 might not be a bad option all these years later.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Maybe they were young and just weren’t playing games when the original game came out or maybe they were just playing on a system that didn’t have that game for whatever reason, in either case it’s nice to give people ways to play games without necessarily having to lug out old hardware, look past dated visuals and fumble around with outdated controls. So, the case for releasing remastered and remade versions of old games pretty much makes itself. Given all of that you would think Electronic Arts would be the first ones to come up with the idea of a Dead Space remastered trilogy. But it seems like they’re going to be the last – if it ever does happen. We here at GamingBolt have no reason to believe that a Dead Space remastered collection is presently being worked on at any stage at any level and that is utterly disappointing. I think it’s high time that we really start pushing for this – politely and logically of course – given that these games have been stranded on 7th generation consoles for well over a decade now, despite being some of the best games that the publisher had put out in that entire generation.

Like I touched on before, the financial incentive of a remastered collection of all three games pretty much explains itself. The games are already done – they’ve already been made.  there isn’t a whole lot of copyrighted music or characters that are owned by other companies or any other sort of bureaucratic legal gray areas that EA would really have to contend with here either. The original games were made and released by EA and are still owned by EA. Given that as far as I can tell it should be a pretty straight line from deciding to do a remastered collection of these three games and releasing them in whatever way EA decides to. whether that’s through origin or steam or going all the way with physical copies on store shelves or whatever path, it’s very doable for EA and there’s really no financial or market-based reason that I can come up with as to why they shouldn’t. In fact, I would go a step further and argue on the development side it would be a pretty straight line as well.

The games were designed by the team from the now disbanded Visceral Games and they were designed incredibly well. So much so that they still look really good. Playing the PC version of any of these three games doesn’t really feel like you were playing games from over a decade ago at least visually. Given that they hold up so well, the remastering effort could really be more-so just focus on optimization and getting these games running at 4K and perhaps 60 frames per second, rather than touching up a bunch of texture mapping and redesigning character models. They could certainly go that extra mile if they wanted to but I don’t think it would really be all that necessary, which would keep the development price tag even lower than it probably would be for other more in-depth remasters like the Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy, where they had much less to work with. With Dead Space, you could really leave the vast majority of the game alone and just focus on optimization and I think the vast majority of players would be fine with that.

Another reason why they should absolutely do this is that it would sell incredibly well. I think it’s fair to assume this but let’s go into a few reasons why; first of all, it’s one of the most commonly asked for remasters over the past several years – and not Just of EA games – I mean in general. People have been asking for a remastered collection of the Dead Space games for a very long time and to finally give that to people would absolutely generate a ton of buzz and a ton of money for EA that they could use to fund future projects and so on. It would also sell well for another reason though; Nintendo players could also have a crack at the series. Some might forget but all three of the main Dead Space games were not released on any Nintendo consoles. Now that Nintendo has caught up with the HD Revolution with the switch one could reasonably surmise that the Dead Space games would run just fine on that machine. Now granted it probably wouldn’t run as well as it would on the PlayStation 4 or the Xbox Series X, but you could definitely put slightly compromised versions of these games on the switch, and I think it would sell gangbusters. Given that Nintendo has shown more of an openness to AAA third party games in this generation than they have in the recent past with games like Wolfenstein 2 and Resident Evil 7 on the device, I think a Dead Space remastered collection on the switch along with the other consoles would make a lot of sense.

EA could absolutely go the extra mile here if they wanted to and include the multiplayer mode on Dead Space 2 as well as the co-op mode for Dead Space 3 to really make this thing feel complete and I think they should. If they’re going to remaster these games, they should definitely go all the way. Granted neither of those multiplayer modes really set the world on fire they did add a fair amount of replayability for Dead Space 2 and Dead Space 3 and given that I think it would make sense to include them and support the servers on EA side for as long as they possibly can.

Whatever they decide to do with the Dead Space series they absolutely have to do something. We’re already seeing spiritual successors like The Callisto Protocol start a pop-up – which wouldn’t have a leg to stand on if EA had maintained the Dead Space series with any amount of regularity. Not only are they leaving Dead Space fans hanging by not doing so but they’re opening the door for competitors to come in and give players a similar experience that scratches basically the same itch. The bottom line is it’s just money being left on the table for EA, and if there’s any argument that a company like EA understands it’s the financial one.

MASS EFFECT ANDROMEDA

No one needs to be told about the massive legacy of the original Mass Effect trilogy. Barring some missteps here and there, BioWare’s first three Mass Effect games are collectively probably the best work they’ve ever done. Then there’s Mass Effect Andromeda, which is… not. To be fair, Andromeda is a good game in its own right, and it certainly has a lot going for it, but it just doesn’t do justice to the magic of its predecessors. Even if we ignore the overblown criticism the game was subject to at the time of its launch, we still have to accept that Andromeda is a pretty big step back from the Commander Shepard trilogy.

Dragon Age 2

Don’t you just love it when a publisher wants a sequel for your game? Especially with just 14 to 16 months for development? Such was the fate that befell Dragon Age 2 thanks to Electronic Arts and as a result, BioWare ended up cutting a lot of story content and scaling back on the locations (besides crunching continuously). Granted, the sequel would find some appreciation, especially for what it offered in its short development cycle, but such haphazard development wasn’t needed.