The Callisto Protocol has been canceled in Japan because of gore

This level of gore isn’t for everyone… literally

With everything we’ve seen of The Callisto Protocol so far, it looks like it’s shaping up to be one of the goriest horror games we’ve seen in a long time — and recent developments in graphical fidelity is only going to make the violence more intense. While it’s clear that the game won’t be for those with a weak stomach, some players won’t even be able to try it for themselves, because The Callisto Protocol‘s release in Japan has been entirely canceled.

According to developer Striking Distance, the cancellation came following a dispute with the Japanese ratings board. Apparently the game in its current bloody, gory state can’t pass Computer Entertainment Rating Organization, or CERO, for certification. What it comes down to is that the board refuses to give Callisto Protocol a rating in Japan in its current state, and Striking Distance won’t change the game, so they’re in a deadlock. The December 2 release date is quickly approaching, and considering it’s already gone gold, there’s not really anything they could do, anyway.

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— The Callisto Protocol (@CallistoGameJP) October 26, 2022

Basically, there’s no way for Japanese players to get ahold of the game unless they import it from another region, which I get the feeling determined gamers will have no problem doing. At least those who paid for pre-orders are getting a full refund.

The Callisto Protocol‘s extreme violence isn’t much of a surprise considering the head of Striking Distance is Glen Schofield, one of the original creators of Dead Space. The inspiration from Schofield’s previous work is easy to see, but we’re excited to see how this new IP distinguishes itself as a spiritual successor.

I for one think the stealth combat that we saw reminds me a lot of The Last of Us‘ sneaky horror gameplay, but also gives us something new with the powers integrated with the stealth and gunplay. Then there’s the novelty of the hyper-realistic gore itself, which definitely makes the game stand out, but as is evidenced by the situation with Callisto Protocol in Japan, will undeniably be polarizing for a portion of the player base.