Summary
- Striking Distance Studios, the developer behind The Callisto Protocol, is working on a new Unreal Engine 5 game and is currently hiring for its team.
- The disappointing release of The Callisto Protocol led to the founder and CEO of the company resigning and layoffs last summer, but the studio is not dead.
- The new project has been confirmed through job postings on the company's website, but no official announcement or details have been released yet. Fans of the studio should stay tuned for upcoming news.
Striking Distance Studios, the developer that brought the world The Callisto Protocol, appears to be working on a new Unreal Engine 5 game and is currently hiring for its team. The developer behind the horror game formed in 2019, and The Callisto Protocol was its inaugural release. Though highly anticipated, the spiritual successor to Dead Space launched to mixed reviews and a generally poor reception, leaving the future of the studio in question.
In the wake of The Callisto Protocol’s disappointing release, the founder and CEO of the company, Glen Schofield, resigned, and Striking Distance Studios announced it was laying off some employees last summer. All of this arguably left the future of the developer in question. However, it seems the studio isn’t dead yet and is working on something new.
The Callisto Protocol Devs Upset After Being Left Out of Game's Credits
A number of developers who worked on bringing Striking Distance Studio's The Callisto Protocol to fruition are being denied credit for the game.
As reported by VGC, Striking Distance Studios is currently working on a new game using Unreal Engine 5. Though no official announcement has been made, the existence of a new project has been confirmed by reviewing job listings on the company's website, which show that it's hiring for a new game. These new positions at the studio were first noted on Twitter by MauroNL who pointed out that some job descriptions specifically reference "a brand new, unannounced UE5 title."
The mediocre performance of the first game meant that The Callisto Protocol 2 was not likely to happen, so it makes sense that Striking Distance Studios is apparently moving on to a completely new and different project. Just what this game will be remains to be seen. So far, the developer isn't offering any public statements about its plans.
While their last game wasn't very popular, with many observers arguing that The Callisto Protocol doesn't compare to the Dead Space remake, Striking Distance Studios has won over some fans, and they might be glad to see the developer getting a second chance to make a successful game. Indeed, the studio appears to have been hard at work since its last release in its efforts to improve The Callisto Protocol from its initial state.
The Callisto Protocol earned a second chance with many players thanks to improvements rolled out by the studio over the year after it launched. This would seem to indicate that Striking Distance, despite layoffs and a change in leadership, is still very active and committed to making good games. The revelation that it's working on a new title is more evidence of this, and fans of the developer might want to follow upcoming news about it closely.
The Callisto Protocol
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 67 /100 Critics Rec: 41%
- Released
- December 2, 2022
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Striking Distance Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Krafton
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
WHERE TO PLAY
In this narrative-driven, third-person survival horror game set 300 years in the future, the player will take on the role of Jacob Lee – a victim of fate thrown into Black Iron Prison, a maximum-security penitentiary located on Jupiter's moon, Callisto. When inmates begin to transform into monstrous creatures, the prison is thrown into chaos. To survive, Jacob must battle his way to safety to escape Black Iron Prison, while uncovering the dark and disturbing secrets buried beneath the surface of Callisto. Using a unique blend of shooting and close-quarters combat, Jacob will need to adapt his tactics to combat the rapidly evolving creatures while scavenging to unlock new weapons, gear, and abilities to outrun the growing threat and escape the horrors of Jupiter's Dead Moon.
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
