Video game industry veteran Glen Schofield, best known as the co-creator of Dead Space and co-founder of Sledgehammer Games, has officially announced his retirement from active game development after more than three decades in the industry.
Schofield shared the news in an emotional video posted on LinkedIn, reflecting on a career that spanned over 35 years and included work on some of gaming’s biggest franchises. While stepping away from day-to-day development, he also left aspiring developers with an encouraging message about the future of the industry.
According to Schofield’s LinkedIn post,
“After 35 years of making games and directing them, running teams, it’s time for me to officially retire from the day-to-day work.”
Schofield thanks colleagues, publishers, and fans
Throughout the video, Schofield expressed gratitude to the people who helped shape his career, including family, colleagues, publishers, and fans who supported—and criticized—his work over the years.
“You told me when I was good and you told me when I wasn’t so good, but you made me better,”
he said while thanking players who experienced the games he helped create.
He also acknowledged major publishers that trusted him with some of gaming’s most recognizable franchises.
“To EA, thank you for letting me make Dead Space. And Activision, you gave me the keys to three Call of Duty games and I really appreciate your trust,”
Schofield said.
A hopeful message for the next generation of developers
Although the games industry has faced layoffs and studio closures in recent years, Schofield remains optimistic about what’s ahead.
“I know times are tough right now, but man, the future ahead is really, really bright,”
he said before offering advice to future creators.
“Explore, experiment, enjoy, and don’t forget that the most important thing is the idea.”
Schofield’s final major release was The Callisto Protocol in 2022, a spiritual successor to Dead Space developed by Striking Distance Studios. While the game received mixed reviews and missed publisher sales expectations, Schofield continued pursuing new ideas after leaving the studio in 2023. Earlier this year, he also revealed that he had pitched Dead Space 4 to EA, though the proposal was ultimately not accepted.
His retirement marks the end of a career that helped define modern survival horror and influenced multiple generations of game developers.
