Speaking to EpicGames News, Philippe Ducharme – senior producer at EA Motive – has shared that the crew tasked with remaking Dead Space needed to keep away from doing something that might “offend hardcore fans” of the unique recreation.
Discussing the duty that comes with remaking a preferred title, Ducharme stated it was “one thing that was essential for us, that we willingly stepped into.
“We’re mostly all hardcore Dead Space fans – we love that game, we love that franchise,” he continued. “When we started our first pillar that we said we need to nail that was honour the legacy. How do we make sure that whatever we decide to make with the remake, whatever decisions we take, it can’t be something that will offend hardcore fans of Dead Space – because we’re part of them!”
That concern led to Motive forming the Community Council, by which Dead Space followers have been invited to have a say within the remake’s improvement. Ducharme explains that the council “helps to keep us honest and have that sounding board,” and added that it helps to hold the crew from falling into an echo chamber.
“It’s easy once you’re in a team and having meeting over meeting, to kind of drink your own Kool-Aid and get biased about what you’re making,” Ducharme shared. “Having that Community Council, and being able to balance with them and say ‘Hey, we’re thinking about this, you haven’t drank the Kool-Aid – is this a good idea?’ and get that raw feedback was something that was key for us to make sure we didn’t get lost along the way.”
The Dead Space remake is about to be launched in January 2023, and legendary filmmaker John Carpenter not too long ago stated the collection would make for a “real great movie.”
Additional reporting by Jake Tucker.
