Striking Distance Studios Founder Glen Schofield Departs

Glen Schofield, the founder of Striking Distance Studios, has announced his departure from the company to explore new opportunities. This move follows a series of significant events, including the voluntary departure of other key executives such as Stacey Hirata, the chief operating officer, and Johnny Hsu, the chief financial officer, as reported by Bloomberg. In the wake of Schofield's exit, Steve Papoutsis, the chief development officer, has been appointed as the new CEO. Notably, Papoutsis has a history of collaboration with Schofield, having worked together at Visceral Games. Schofield's tenure at Striking Distance Studios, which he joined in 2019 under parent company Krafton, was marked by the creation of The Callisto Protocol, a game that holds a special place in his heart as a spiritual successor to the original Dead Space, which he co-created during his time at Electronic Arts' Visceral Games from 2002 to 2009. Despite high expectations, The Callisto Protocol experienced underwhelming sales after its launch in December 2022, with Krafton initially predicting five million copies sold, only to see analysts forecast sales closer to two million. Reflecting on his decision, Schofield expressed his pride in the journey of establishing Striking Distance Studios and the achievement of creating The Callisto Protocol, while also acknowledging the bittersweet nature of his departure. He expressed confidence in the studio's future under Papoutsis's leadership, citing their past successful collaboration and Papoutsis's proven ability to lead the studio to success after Schofield's departure from Visceral Games. Schofield reassured that the studio's plans and focus on producing exceptional content remain unchanged. A representative from Krafton, the Korean-based parent company, echoed these sentiments, highlighting Schofield's invaluable contributions, including building a talented team and setting high standards for the studio's work. The representative also expressed gratitude for Schofield's impact, which is expected to pave the way for the studio's continued success. This development comes on the heels of Striking Distance Studios laying off 32 employees last month, a decision attributed to the realignment of business operations.