Glen Schofield, the veteran game director behind Dead Space, three Call of Duty titles, and The Callisto Protocol, has announced his retirement after 35 years in the games industry.
In a video posted to LinkedIn, Schofield looked back on his career with gratitude. "The past couple of decades have been some of the greatest times in video games," he said. "Some of the best games have come out over these times, from some of the greatest talent in the world I've been able to work with. I thank you all. I had a front row seat to one of the greatest creative explosions in history."
He thanked his former employers by name: EA for giving him the chance to make Dead Space, and Activision for entrusting him with three Call of Duty games. "This is an amazing industry, with so many talented people, and I know times are tough right now, but the future is really, really bright," he added.
Schofield told GamesBeat earlier this year that the decision crystallized after completing The Callisto Protocol at Striking Distance Studios. "It was the hardest development in my life," he said. "I didn't think anything could be harder than Lord of the Rings, but that one was."
During that grueling period, he picked up painting and sculpting as creative outlets. "As I'm thinking during this, I'm like, 'I don't know if I can do the day to day anymore'," he said. "I've had a great time, I've had a fantastic career. It seems like an inflection point in the industry. A time for the next generation to emerge and do their own thing."
Schofield's career spans some of the most influential studios and franchises in gaming. He directed entries in the Gex and Legacy of Kain series at Crystal Dynamics, served as vice president and general manager of Visceral Games (then EA Redwood Shores), co-founded Sledgehammer Games, and founded Striking Distance Studios. He departed Striking Distance in 2023 to pursue new opportunities.
In a recent interview about the challenges facing the AAA industry, Schofield argued that creativity was being overlooked. "All I'm hearing is that we have to make development cheaper. We have to spend less money and we have to do it with fewer people," he said. "One word I don't hear in any of that is 'creativity'. You have to be creative 99% of the time."
The announcement comes at a turbulent time for the games industry, with ongoing layoffs and studio closures across the sector. Schofield expressed optimism about the next generation of developers, wishing them "the best of luck" as they carry the industry forward.
