The Callisto Protocol publisher Krafton insisted on releasing the game too soon, director claims

Glen Schofield, the Callisto Protocol director and former CEO of Striking Distance, claims that Krafton forced the studio to release the game early despite being assured it would have more development time.

The details:

• Schofield spoke with Dan Allen Gaming (via PCGamesN) about the issues that arose during game development. According to the director, Krafton suggested that the project would be given three to four months more development time as requested, telling him, “You're going to get the time. Put whatever you want into the game.” However, just months later, in January 2022, he was informed that the game must be released by the end of the year.

• In response to the unexpected deadline, Schofield informed the publisher that "it's not going to get done and it's going to cost you more money," which would actually cost the company more as Striking Distance would require more staff to complete the project. Due to time constraints, four bosses and two enemy types were missing from the final release.

• Schofield also discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the game's development, which resulted in a significant portion of the development team becoming ill and even leaving for higher-paying positions. “We were devastated,” he said. “Sometimes our whole department for VFX would be out, our whole animation department. And then on top of that, in 2021 we had the great resignation. 49 people quit, because everybody’s paying through the roof, and so people are leaving for $10,000 more.”

• It's unclear why Krafton pushed for the game to launch in December 2022 rather than allowing for more development time, but the release of Dead Space's remake the following month may have played a significant role in the decision. Schofield is the creator of the Dead Space franchise, and since both games have similar settings and mechanics, they were viewed as competitors. In the end, The Callisto Protocol still sold far below expectations, resulting in layoffs at Striking Distance in August 2023.

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