The Callisto Protocol Boss Says Game Was Pushed to Release Early Resulting in Cut Content

As a long-time fan of Glen Schofield and his work, I was eagerly anticipating The Callisto Protocol, especially after his successful run with Dead Space. However, the final product left me feeling like I had stumbled upon an abandoned mining colony on Callisto – disappointing and filled with unrealized potential.

Upon its release in 2022, “The Callisto Protocol” didn’t meet the high expectations many had for it. With Glen Schofield, creator of Dead Space, attached to the project, fans saw “The Callisto Protocol” as a spiritual successor to that series. Regrettably, “The Callisto Protocol” was met with both critical and commercial failure. In an interview on the Dan Allen podcast, Schofield shared insights about the game’s difficulties, explaining that publisher Krafton urged him to release it ahead of schedule.

Schofield stated, “I had been expecting around three and a half more months to complete the project.” He was under the impression that this was the plan. In September or October of 2021, he was informed, “You’ll have the time. Work on whatever you desire for the game.” So, he spent the Christmas holiday brainstorming and planning with some team members. However, when January arrived, Krafton representatives visited and informed him, “It’s actually December 2022.” It wasn’t as if the project would cost less money because it was being released three months earlier, as adding people to expedite the process would increase costs. If he wanted the project completed, he needed to speed up everything by three and a half months, which meant he had to push his team harder.

It seems that the accelerated release date led to some content being removed, with two types of enemies and four boss battles being cut. This is a significant loss, especially if Schofield believed there was more time for the team at Striking Distance Studios to work on the game.

During the very same interview, Schofield explains that initially, Krafton and Striking Distance Studio had a smooth partnership; however, they encountered numerous challenges during the project’s development. The coronavirus pandemic served as a significant hurdle for the studio, affecting many video game developers at that time. Schofield approximates that approximately 10-20 individuals fell ill each month, with sicknesses lasting for weeks. Moreover, a total of 49 team members left the studio in 2021, out of a workforce of 200 people.

In essence, it remains uncertain whether any discarded parts would have improved the final version of “The Callisto Protocol,” or if the game could have been more successful had Striking Distance Studios not encountered numerous hurdles during production. Fingers crossed that Schofield’s next venture will be less plagued by such problems! For those who haven’t played it yet, “The Callisto Protocol” has just been added to Xbox Game Pass.

[H/T: PC Games N]

2024-08-07 20:09

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