Electronic Arts Admits Dead Space: Extraction Is a Gamble

A lot of analysts are saying that only Nintendo creates successful videogames for the Wii, even if the publisher is adamant about the fact that third-party games can sell well on its platform.

One of the biggest games coming to the Wii is Dead Space: Extraction, and Frank Gibeau, the president of EA Games, is well aware that the title needs to be a clearly definable success in order to prove this point and show that Electronic Arts can be competitive on the Wii.

Gibeau told Gamasutra that “Well, there has been some M-rated high-quality games released recently on Wii that we've taken note of, and that's why I think Dead Space: Extraction is a gamble. It's a calculated risk. Can a high-quality experience like that that appeals to a more mature audience work on the Wii platform?”

He is quite obviously referring to Madworld, created by Platinum Games, and House of the Dead: Overkill, made by Headstrong. Both games are M-rated and were received well by critics, who emphasized how they used the capabilities of the Wii in new ways. But the games did not perform well at retail, as Madworld moved just 60,000 copies in its first month of sale in the United States, while House of the Dead sold even less, namely 45,000 units.

Still, the Electronic Arts representative is sure that there is a niche for Dead Space: Extraction and that the game will be successful. The company is basically gambling on the fact that those who have bought and played the original Dead Space on other platforms will be interested in getting the Wii prequel, while some new players will be attracted by the unique mechanics and the high production values.

Dead Space: Extraction is set to tell the story of how the monolith which turns humans into Necromorphs arrived aboard the Ishimura, where the first game took place.