As marketing ramps up for The Callisto Protocol, the CEO for developer Striking Distance Studios and director for the upcoming horror title has definitively indicated his wish for a sequel. Excitement has been high for The Callisto Protocol ever since the game was announced, with fans of Dead Space interested to see what some creatives behind the seminal science fiction/horror have in store for them.
The Callisto Protocol is the first project set to be released by Striking Distance Studios, and was once curiously intended to be part of the Player Unknown's Battlegrounds universe. This was only ever meant to be a loose bond, with references scattered throughout, but changed at some point during development and confirmed in a tweet from Glen Schofield last May, noting that The Callisto Protocol "is its own world, story, and universe." Five months since that clarification and The Callisto Protocol has gone gold, with Black Iron Prison awaiting players once they journey to Saturn's moon, Callisto. As marketing intensifies, features and elements of The Callisto Protocol continue to be teased, confirmed, and discussed, with a recent interview featuring Schofield offering plenty for fans and those intrigued alike to dissect.
Speaking to Inverse, Schofield could not have been clearer when responding to questions regarding what success would mean for the new IP, admitting that "I want to make a sequel." He proceeded to assure the interviewer that although The Callisto Protocol is a fully fleshed out game, there exist several "cool ideas, [that] we want to do next." Schofield had just voiced his opinions on what constitutes good horror, noting sound design as the crucial element, and explaining that "the player should feel like every little sound is about to come through the walls."
When queried about the upcoming Dead Space remake, a title he served as creator and executive producer for, Schofield expressed his desire for them to succeed, but took a moment to clarify that it "is in my past," and affirm that he would have not chosen to rebuild the 2008 classic. Comparisons between the games are inevitable, especially when major mechanical systems, such as dismemberment, and a similar space station setting feature in both science fiction/horror games. However, the new IP looks to be distinguishing itself through branching late-game paths, a more intricate system for dismembering enemies, and wider enemy design, all of which will likely be covered in a newly announced docuseries forThe Callisto Protocol.
Schofield was challenged on a tweet he authored in early September in which, while trying to exhibit the studio's dedication, claimed that developers were working "6-7 days a week." In an industry that is becoming increasingly more sensitive to the issue of crunch, Schofield admitted that "I messed up," claiming the criticism to be "educational" and hopeful that it would result in a better future.
The Callisto Protocol is set to release on December 2, 2022, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: Inverse