10 Great Action Video Game Franchises (That Died Too Soon)

Dead Space is one of the most intense, violent action horror franchises in the video game world. The Necromorphs are terrifying. The Plasma Cutter is a great sci-fi weapon. Isaac Clarke is a formidable silent protagonist. So, all that being said, you’re right to wonder why the Dead Space franchise has failed to remain in the spotlight.

First introduced to our consoles in 2008, Dead Space tasked space engineer Isaac Clarke to investigate a silent mining ship, only to discover a horrifying Necromorph plague that reanimates dead corpses. Dead Space was hailed as one of the greats in survival, action horror with its dark hallways, extravagant violence and gore, and anxiety inducing boss fights.

A highly praised sequel, Dead Space 2, was released in 2011. However, the downfall of the franchise occurred in 2013 with the release of Dead Space 3. Despite receiving promising reviews, the third installment had poor sales. Nobody can truly say why Dead Space 3 was a disappointment, perhaps the switch to an ice covered planet rather than the classic space station setting did little to satisfy fans. Unfortunately, developer Visceral Games was disbanded in 2014 and the hopes of a fourth game in the franchise went with it.

Over the years, Dead Space has lived on in the hearts of fans but struggled to make a comeback. No remaster of the trilogy has ever surfaced for current generations, and there’s no signs of an eventual fourth entry any time soon.