Corey McNamara
Dead Space co-creator Glen Schofield founded Striking Distance Studios in 2019
Dead Space fans received surprising news recently as co-creator Glen Schofield announced his departure from Striking Distance Studios, the game development company he founded in 2019. The news comes less than a year after the studio released its highly anticipated game, The Callisto Protocol. As reported by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Schofield’s decision to leave the studio was communicated by a representative of Korean publisher Krafton, who stated that Schofield is “pursuing new opportunities” and assured that the studio’s plans will not be affected by his departure.
Glen Schofield’s Departure
Schofield, the Chief Executive Officer of Striking Distance Studios, expressed mixed emotions about leaving the company he helped establish. In a statement, he said, “Creating Striking Distance Studios has been an incredible journey and I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved with The Callisto Protocol, a game close to my heart. While pursuing a new adventure is exciting, leaving SDS is bittersweet, but I know the studio is in excellent hands.”
Steve Papoutsis, the Chief Development Officer, will be taking over as the new CEO. Schofield praised Papoutsis, saying, “Steve and I go way back to working at Visceral Games. I saw how successful he was in taking the reins after my departure then and how he continued the studio’s success and growth. That’s how I know he’s the one to lead the studio into its next chapter.”
Papoutsis Takes Charge
Steve Papoutsis is no stranger to the industry, having previously served as Chief Development Officer and General Manager for Striking Distance Studios. He also held prominent positions at Baobab Studios and Electronic Arts. With his extensive experience and collaboration with Glen Schofield, Papoutsis seems well-equipped to guide the studio through this transition.
Krafton, the parent company of Striking Distance Studios, expressed its gratitude towards Schofield for his contributions to the studio. In a statement, they said, “Glen’s contributions during his time at Krafton have been invaluable. He built an ace team of talents at SDS and set a high standard for the work they did together every day.”
The transition is expected to be smooth, and the studio’s plans will remain unaffected by Schofield’s departure. The statement from Krafton mentioned that the focus will be on “continuing to produce exceptional content.”
The Callisto Protocol’s Impact
The departure of Glen Schofield comes amidst reports of The Callisto Protocol failing to meet Krafton’s sales expectations and receiving mixed reviews from both critics and players. Released on December 1 of the previous year, the game generated a lot of anticipation due to Schofield’s involvement. However, it seems that the title fell short of delivering the expected success.
The performance of The Callisto Protocol led to strategic changes and realignment of priorities within Striking Distance Studios. The studio recently underwent layoffs, with 32 employees being let go. These layoffs were implemented as part of Krafton’s efforts to make necessary adjustments.
In Conclusion
As Striking Distance Studios faces a significant transition with the departure of co-creator Glen Schofield, CEO Steve Papoutsis steps up to lead the studio forward. Despite the challenges posed by The Callisto Protocol’s reception, the studio remains committed to creating exceptional content. Fans will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on future developments from Striking Distance Studios and the new direction the studio will take under Papoutsis’ leadership.
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