Electronic Arts (EA) redirected its marketing focus from Dead Space to Mirror’s Edge after internal mock reviews suggested the latter would score significantly higher. While Dead Space was anticipated to land around a 70 on review scales, Mirror’s Edge was predicted to score close to 90. Despite this, Dead Space gained cult status through word-of-mouth recommendations post-launch.

During a recent interview, Bret Robbins, director of the original Dead Space, revealed how EA’s internal analysis influenced this decision. Mock reviews — often used by publishers to estimate a game’s potential critical reception and commercial performance — indicated that Mirror’s Edge had a better chance of success.

“They actually cut our marketing budget and gave it all to Mirror’s Edge. At the time, they were doing internal tests like Metacritic analysis and mock scores, and they predicted Mirror’s Edge to get a 90, while Dead Space was seen as a 72. This was just months before release, and the game was nearly finished. As a result, they doubled down on Mirror’s Edge. It did well, scoring in the 80s, but we ended up with a 90.”

Interestingly, Robbins believes this marketing shift helped Dead Space gain its cult following. Without heavy promotional efforts, the game’s reputation grew organically among players.

While Mirror’s Edge received positive reviews for its innovative parkour mechanics, its Metacritic score settled at 81. Meanwhile, Dead Space achieved an 89, and the 2023 remake currently boasts an average score of 90.

Following its 2008 release, Mirror’s Edge received a sequel in 2016. On the other hand, Dead Space saw a sequel in 2011 and its third installment in 2013. The franchise’s 2023 remake by Motive Studio has garnered widespread acclaim, though there’s no confirmation of new entries.

In the same interview, former Visceral Games leader Glen Schofield disclosed that EA declined a pitch for Dead Space 4.

Source: MP1ST