Dead Space creator apologizes for tweets valorizing crunch culture

Glen Schofield was the co-creator. Dead SpaceNow the production of its spiritual sequel is under way The Callisto ProtocolThis weekend’s comments by Striking Distance Studios CEO, elicited back his remarks.

As reported by Bloomberg’s Jason SchreierSchofield stated that Striking Distance’s team was working 12- to 15-hour days six days a week to complete the game. (The Callisto Protocol’s release date is Dec. 2.) He said nobody was “forcing” the team to crunch in this way, but admitted they were experiencing “exhaustion.”

“We r working 6-7 days a week, nobody’s forcing us. Exhaustion, tired, Covid but we’re working. Bugs, glitches, perf fixes. One last audio pass. 12-15 hr days. This is called gaming. Hard work. Lunch, dinner, working. U do it cause ya luv it,” Schofield tweeted on Saturday.

Schofield later removed the tweet. offered a retraction and an apology to the Striking Distance staff, saying, “We value passion and creativity, not long hours.”

“Anyone who knows me knows how passionate I am about the people I work with,” he said. “Earlier I tweeted how proud I was of the effort and hours the team was putting in. This was wrong. Not long working hours, we value passion and creativity. I’m sorry to the team for coming across like this.”

There’s no reason to think Schofield is not sincere in his apology. Schreier also pointed out that Schofield’s original tweet was a classic example of unhealthy work practices and crunch culture in the videogame industry.

Schofield is charismatic, creative and well-liked in the industry. His background is in art and he’s been creating games for 30+ years. His contributions to Crystal Dynamics, and later EA Studio Visceral Games were key. Dead SpaceMichael Condrey. Together, they formed Sledgehammer Games. Activision acquired it quickly. Schofield quit Call of Duty after a decade to start Striking Distance, a sci-fi horror series that he had created.

His talents are well-known and his studio is his boss. He is passionate about his work. The Callisto ProtocolA game called “The Greatest Work of All Time”, which deliberately recalls his greatest work. It’s understandable that it would be personal to him. (Schofield may also feel strong pressure to beat his former company’s remake of the original Dead Space(To market. But he’s also an employer who sets an example for, and manages the careers of, the Striking Distance development team. These roles are based on his three-decades of experience in game development. During this time, crunch has been the norm.

“Nobody’s forcing us,” he says, without questioning the example his own overwork sets for his staff, or the pressure it puts on them to conform. Working through meals, working through exhaustion and illness, are simply how it is and how it has always been: “This is gaming.” Passion for games is both the motivation and the reward for all the extra effort: “U do it cause ya luv it.”

This sounds almost like an acronym. This is how deeply embedded these attitudes are in developers of Schofield’s generation. He clearly and quickly retracted his statement, showing that he is aware of the importance of changing these attitudes. Schofield is so ingrained in this crunch value system that he proudly glorifies overwork. It’s all he’s known. These are the values he himself was taught, and it’s hard to change.

Schofield is clear that he recognizes the need for changes. However, the true proof of this will come from the Striking Distance team’s work in the months that have followed. The Callisto Protocol’s release.