The Callisto Protocol is an upcoming title by Striking Distance Studios. We previously reported on the trailer for the game, in which we remarked on how gory and gruesome the game looks. As it turns out, these creative choices by the developers would lead to the game being banned in Japan ahead of its release.
The game centers around protagonist Jacob Lee and his misadventures onboard the space-based prison Black Iron. As stated previously, the game is set to be a straight up gore fest with one part of the trailer even showing Lee torn to pieces by a turbine blade.
According to a recent post by the game’s official Japanese account, Callisto Protocol has officially been banned due to failure to obtain a CERO rating. While we can only speculate at this stage about the exact reason that the CERO rating could not be granted, it’s no secret that the game will contain objectionable material.
Among the themes that the game will contain are depictions of gratuitous violence and realistic portrayals of gore. It certainly doesn’t help that the developer has admitted to taking inspiration for the upcoming game from ‘real-life examples of horror and gore.’
In order to obtain the CERO rating, the devs would have had to have made numerous changes to the game. We don’t know exactly what type of modifications were required, but, whatever they were, it looks as though the devs were unwilling to implement them. This is likely because doing so would have led to the game deviating from the dev’s original vision.
This comes as a detriment to the members of the Japanese public who have already pre-ordered the game. Although, the devs have assured us that those in Japan who have pre-ordered the game will be refunded.
The Callisto Protocol launches on December 2nd for the rest of the global market on PC/ Xbox One and Series X|S, PS4, and PS5. If you haven’t heard, the Callisto Protocol will reward players for dying in different ways. This means you have even more incentive to revel in the violence and gore that has been banned in Japan.
