Highlights

  • The success of the Dead Space remake may lead EA Motive to focus on remaking the original trilogy instead of creating a new entry, potentially hindering the series' progress.
  • The original Dead Space trilogy's demise was caused by over-modernization and a shift away from what fans loved about the series, which should be considered when remaking the games.
  • Fans of the series are eager for a new entry. EA Motive should invest in the future of the series rather than dwelling on the past.

2023's Dead Space was a masterful reinvention of the 2008 classic. Praised by critics and fans alike, the remake infused the first Dead Space with a host of improvements made by its sequel, making for a more fluid and fine-tuned set of core mechanics. Following Dead Space Remake's massive success, rumors quickly began to swirl that developer EA Motive was set to remake Dead Space 2 next. While this would be a welcome experience for many fans, it sets the series on a particular path, remaking previous titles, rather than progressing the series forward. In this way, Dead Space's success could lead EA Motive to shoot for the wrong moon.

Dead Space made a massive impact upon release, reigniting the passion of a fanbase that had long been abandoned. However, the time since its release has seen it fly largely under the radar, as the rest of 2023 was chock-full of massive critical and commercial hits. While fans are hopeful that the first game’s success will result in more entries in the Dead Space series, it seems likely that EA Motive is set to follow the modern, and frustrating, trend of remaking old titles instead of providing fans with a new adventure. However, the original Dead Space trilogy ended on a whimper, before failing to garner a fourth entry. The lengthy process of following in its footsteps, with a remade trilogy, may lead to the same fate.

Why Dead Space 2 Remake Might Have a Harder Time Standing Out
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Why Dead Space 2 Remake Might Have a Harder Time Standing Out

The Dead Space remake brought myriad improvements to the original's formula, but Dead Space 2 Remake may struggle to replicate that feat.

A Remade Dead Space Trilogy Faces More Potential Problems than the Original

While the original Dead Space trilogy holds a special place in the realm of survival horror, its demise is a prime example of how to ruin a series through over-modernization. The first title took gaming by storm with its unique scares, dismemberment mechanics, and sci-fi horror immersion. Dead Space 2 made a host of improvements to the series' core mechanics and dropped fans in a much grander and psychologically horrifying masterpiece. However, Dead Space 3 attempted to inject the series with certain hallmarks of the era, namely an action-horror focus and a local co-op campaign. In doing so, it removed focus on what Dead Space fans loved most about the series, garnering a less-than-favorable reception and killing the series' momentum. A sequel to Dead Space 3 was never made.

A trilogy of Dead Space remakes runs the risk of following in the original's fate unless the games can truly differentiate themselves from their respective predecessors. However, this leads to another issue. One of the reasons that Dead Space Remake was so successful was its implementation and improvement of core features from its sequels. The title plays much more similarly to Dead Space 2 than the game on which it's based. While this allows the first remake to stand out, it creates a unique situation in which a Dead Space 2 remake may struggle to differentiate itself. By the time a Dead Space 3 remake rolls around, the series may not have the momentum required to garner a fourth entry, once again.

EA Motive Focusing on Dead Space Remakes Would Aim for the Wrong Target

Dead Space (2023) breathed new life into the series and re-introduced a forgotten masterpiece to a new generation of gamers. However, its success should serve as an indication of a fourth entry's viability, not the desire for a remade trilogy. Fans already had to wait a full decade to play a modern Dead Space title, 2023's remake, and the process of developing and releasing the next two sequels could take close to another decade. By placing its efforts on remaking the trilogy, rather than growing the series, EA Motive would be focusing on the wrong objective.

Dead Space fans are clamoring for a new entry in the series, and the success of the Dead Space remake proves that the series can hold its own in the modern landscape. Because of this, longtime fans may be less than enthusiastic about partaking in the original trilogy yet again, especially considering its incredibly weak final entry. EA Motive should strike while the iron is hot and invest in the future of the Dead Space series, rather than its past. Until an official announcement is made about the series' next entry, there's hope that a fourth entry in the Dead Space series will eventually see release.