The Callisto Protocol is a video game that aims to offer an engaging storyline that is inspired by Dead Space. The game aims to bring a new experience for players in which the protagonist faces off against several horrors in a space prison. It also promises to deliver a lot of gore in its brutal death scenes and body horror through mutations.
Perhaps too much gore. At least, that's what the Japanese CERO board has decided, as The Callisto Protocol has failed to pass the CERO certification. Unfortunately, Japan's CERO board has very strict rules regarding body horror and gore. Rules that the game seemingly has broken as the game failed to pass the test due to an overabundance of violence and graphic content.
Rather than doing something like reducing the amount of body horror or censoring it, Striking Distance Studio has decided to cancel the Japanese version of The Callisto Protocol. This was announced on the Japanese Twitter account of the game. in Japanese, obviously.
— The Callisto Protocol (@CallistoGameJP) October 26, 2022
According to a roughly translated version of the image, the Japanese version of the game will no longer be developed. They still will offer refunds to players who have already purchased the game. The studio also stated that getting CERO certification would require making changes to the game’s content that the studio believes would not reflect the experience its players would expect.
Fortunately, Japanese players can still play The Callisto Protocol since the international versions of the game will not be affected by this and the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series console versions are not region-locked. The timing of the game's release couldn't have been more unfortunate as Famitsu magazine in Japan posted its preview of the game. Of course, the magazine quickly had to be amended to note the cancelation.
The Callisto Protocol is set to launch on December 2nd, 2022, on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
