After the pleasant surprise of 2023, something familiar is happening within the Dead Space franchise again — but fans hoping for a sequel will be disappointed. Instead of a new horror experience, Electronic Arts is selling pricey cosmetic bundles.

Dead Space fans shouldn’t hold their breath for a new installment, as Electronic Arts seems more interested in monetizing Isaac Clarke than reviving the series. The 2023 Dead Space Remake remains one of the finest survival horror titles of the current console generation, which makes the lack of a follow-up even harder to swallow. Although the horror genre is thriving, EA’s latest business decision shows that the company would rather sell overpriced cosmetic bundles than invest in the franchise’s future.

Isaac Clarke has now joined skate. (also known as Skate 4) as part of a new cosmetic pack that costs 3,350 San Van Bucks — roughly $30, or about HUF 12,000. Ironically, that’s more expensive than the Dead Space Remake itself, which regularly drops to as low as $5 during sales. At the moment, the game is listed for $14 on the PlayStation Store as part of the Player’s Choice promotion, and physical editions go for about the same price. The bundle’s pricing has therefore raised some eyebrows among fans.

The Isaac Clarke Bundle will be available for roughly two weeks and includes: Engineer Rig Skin, Slasher Deck, Isaac’s Trunks, Isaac’s Wheels, Leaper Sticker, The Marker Sticker, Stomp Sticker, Plasma Cutter Sticker, Necro Stomp Emote, and an Isaac Clarke Avatar. After a 15-year hiatus, skate. marks the revival of the Skate series, launching in early access on September 16 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

EA hasn’t yet confirmed when skate. will leave early access. On its Steam page, the publisher wrote: “We don’t have a fixed timeline for officially exiting Early Access because the game will evolve, grow, and improve based on player feedback. However, we expect to reach a ‘full’ release roughly a year after the start of Early Access, though this is not guaranteed.”

In other words, skate. will likely remain in early access for quite some time — and for now, the only “return” Dead Space fans can expect is a pricey skin pack that costs more than the game it references.

Source: Gamingbible, Steam