Following the controversial purchase of EA by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, sources claimed that the new ownership group could sell the rights to the Dead Space IP as a way to recoup costs. However, sources also stated that EA had put the Dead Space IP "on ice" as of this writing, meaning that the company has no plans to reboot the franchise in the immediate future.
Originally released in 2008, Dead Space is a survival horror franchise set in space, with starship systems engineer Isaac Clarke as the franchise's main protagonist. The premise of Dead Space sees Isaac fight back against undead monsters known as Necromorphs, and against his mind being altered by an alien artifact known as the Marker. The Dead Space saga was originally made by EA's Redwood Shores studio, later known as Visceral Games. However, Visceral Games was shut down in 2017. Though a reboot of the original Dead Space title was released in 2023 by EA subsidiary Motive Studio, Visceral's closure has left the potential of future Dead Space sequels in limbo for years.
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The Future of Dead Space Is In Doubt
Though rumors about the fate of the Dead Space series should be taken with a fine grain of salt, sources close to EA claim that the company has no immediate plans for the fan-favorite horror franchise. Sources stated under the condition of anonymity that EA has seemingly put the Dead Space series "on ice" and that there are no game projects currently in development. Although Dead Space series creator Glen Schofield has pitched ideas for a sequel, his ideas were immediately turned down by EA some time ago. While the 2023 remake of Dead Space was well-received by fans and critics, it did not meet EA's sales expectations.
After EA confirmed it was being purchased in a leveraged buyout, Schofield said he was optimistic that a Dead Space sequel could be considered in the future. Should the deal be approved by regulators and shareholders, the PIF would own 93.4% of EA, with Silver Lake and Affinity owning 5.5% and 1.1%, respectively. The deal is expected to close by June 2026 if all goes according to plan. The PIF stated that its participation in the EA buyout was a long-term investment that could double in value over time. Despite the controversial buyout, EA confirmed that Andrew Wilson would remain its CEO, and it would not relocate from its Redwood City, California headquarters. But, the buyout could come at great cost to the PIF.
The PIF's Debts Could Be Good News For Dead Space
In late November 2025, reports surfaced that the PIF was low on funds following its proposed purchase of EA alongside Silver Lake and Affinity Partners. Led by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, the PIF's financial issues stem from investments that have not paid off. Some of the PIF's key parts of its alleged financial woes include a cruise line, an electric vehicle start-up company, and a ski resort called Neom in the northern parts of Saudi Arabia. Prince Mohammed and the PIF have since reshuffled operations at Neom, which included the firing of a former project leader. Ergo, the PIF may not invest as much money in other projects as a way to settle its debts amid the EA buyout.
Given that the ongoing success of Battlefield 6 is a high-priority item within EA, sources remained hopeful that the studio may consider selling the rights to Dead Space or other series as a way for the PIF to pay off its debts. That said, EA has not stated if the rights to Dead Space or any other franchises were for sale. Additionally, the EA deal still faces some regulatory headwinds, as US government officials have raised national security concerns over the PIFs involvement. It remains to be seen what the fate of both the Dead Space franchise and the leveraged buyout of EA will be.
Dead Space
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 89 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- January 27, 2023
- ESRB
- Rated M for Mature for Blood and Gore, Strong Language, and Intense Violence.
- Developer(s)
- EA Motive
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Source: Insider Gaming