Hot off the rumours of a Silent Hill revival, new reports suggest that a Dead Space revival is also imminent. The shock news was first hinted at by GamesBeat’s Jeff Grubb. It has since been reported and corroborated by a number of other gaming news outlets, including VGC.
Prior to this, Grubb had said that an “established IP” was being developed by EA Motive. Motive previously developed Star Wars Squadrons. Apparently, EA will be announcing more information about the supposed Dead Space revival at their upcoming EA Play event. The event is due to take place on 22nd July 2021. But how do we know it’s Dead Space? Well, Jeff Grubb commented that “we’re going to see it… if we’re not dead first”. It’s pretty clear what he’s getting at with a statement like that.
Dead Space 4: Is the Dead Space revival a sequel?
Dead Space is a renowned and much-loved sci-fi/survival horror series. The franchise included three main video game entries, plus films, novels, comic books, and more. It began with 2008’s eponymous Dead Space – perhaps the most beloved instalment in the series. This was followed by 2011’s critically-acclaimed Dead Space 2, which took a slightly more action-orientated approach but stuck to the franchise’s horror roots. Two years later in 2013, Dead Space 3 arrived. It introduced co-op and further diluted the horror with an increased focus on action. It didn’t help that the story wasn’t great and microtransactions were beginning to creep in.
Reception from fans and critics was mixed and the series died a quiet death following mediocre sales. Series developer Visceral Games was ultimately closed by EA in 2017 and plans for a sequel never materialised. In 2018, Dead Space creative director Ben Wanat shared some ideas with Eurogamer concerning what Dead Space 4 could’ve been about. He even speculated: “You never know. Someone might look back at the old EA catalogue one day and say, ‘Whatever happened to Dead Space? Maybe we should bring that back’.”
As for whether the Dead Space revival will actually be Dead Space 4, we don’t know for sure. However, Gematsu have reported that it will be a ‘reimagining’ rather than a sequel. So we can probably expect a series reboot of sorts rather than a continuation of the stories that came before.
Dead Space The Marker: What will the revival’s story be?
The three primary Dead Space games follow the story of Isaac Clarke, a starship systems engineer. The story begins in the year 2058. Isaac joins a maintenance crew as they travel to the USG Ishimura to conduct repairs. The Ishimura is one of many ‘planet crackers’. These are used to mine planets for their resources. Once he arrives on the Ishimura (which is mining the planet Aegis VII), Isaac encounters countless Necromorphs. He is forced the fight them off while trying to complete his mission. He’s also searching for his ex-girlfriend Nicole who – as its medical officer – was last seen aboard the Ishimura.
The Necromorphs are horrifically disfigured alien/zombie creatures. They were created by ‘the Marker’, which spreads a virus-like contagion and reanimates dead cells and tissue. The Marker is a mysterious object discovered on Earth hundreds of years before the events of the original Dead Space. A cult known as Unitology developed around the Marker. As the series progressed, the origins of Unitology, the Marker and Necromorphs were explored further. The later games focus on the psychological impact the Marker has on Isaac and his quest to destroy the Necromorphs.
It’s unknown to what extent the new Dead Space will continue this story, if at all. If the Dead Space revival is a reimagining, will it contain any story elements of the original trilogy? Probably. The Necromorphs are almost guaranteed to return. Although their convoluted backstory around the Marker may be dropped in favour of something more suitable for new audiences.
When will it be released?
We don’t know that just yet, and we won’t do for a while. However, we’re likely to receive our first glimpse of the game during EA Play in a few weeks’ time as the rumours suggest. Expect late-2022 at the earliest.
Are you excited for a Dead Space revival? Do you believe it’s real or just yet another rumour? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles…
