Unitology in Dead Space Series Not a Jab at Scientology, Says Visceral

Did Visceral Games take a quiet shot at Scientology, or is the Dead Space series religion Unitology just a fake religion that only-coincidently sounds like the religion created by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard? There has been a lot of speculation about Unitology in the community, but Visceral Game's Creative Director, Wright Bagwell, says the parallels between the two are simply a coincidence.

Speaking to MTV Multiplayer, Bagwell described Unitology as a religion that was intended to represent what happens when a religion and its followers become fanatical in their beliefs.

"We never really approach that discussion with the intention of poking fun at a particular religion, or sort of making a social statement about something that's going on right now," Bagwell tells MTV. "For us, Unitology's purpose in the story represents people's illogical thinking about things they don't understand. It was never really intended to be a jab at any particular religion. I know people have said, 'Oh yeah, it's a jab at Scientology.' It was never really intended. I think people get that a lot because the name is very similar."

Bagwell went on to say that the religion created for the games was meant to serve as "an observation about what can happen to anybody who is fanatical and illogical about their beliefs."

If you are looking for a game that takes Scientology head-on, check out Ultima VII: The Black Gate and the religious cult in it known as "The Fellowship."

Source: TVG