The Callisto Protocol is an upcoming project from the mind of Dead Space creator Glen Schofield. Its announcement came during The Game Awards 2020, during which a first trailer was shown, arousing huge interest in horror and Dead Space fans.
With the announcement of the Dead Space remake, however, the hype created for The Callisto Protocol seems to have subsided. This is also due to the fact that Dead Space does not need an extensive media campaign, as it carries a great legacy behind it since it is often considered one of the best horror games ever made.
How The Callisto Protocol Could Overtake Dead Space
The Callisto Protocol is a sci-fi survival horror game, just like Dead Space. The story will be set in the PUGB universe in 2320, with players entering a colonial prison called the Black Iron. Glen Schofield reassured fans that The Callisto Protocol will be "the scariest game" on next-gen platforms, with the developer being careful not to make the same mistake as Dead Space 3.
When The Callisto Protocol was announced, there was still no knowledge of the Dead Space remake. However, all nostalgic fans immediately glimpsed the similarities between The Callisto Protocol and Dead Space, so much so that they declared it a spiritual successor, thanks also to the fact that the project was being helmed by Schofield.
Although Dead Space is a series that every horror fan is aware of, meaning the hype behind its return is understandable, The Callisto Protocol could benefit from establishing more of a media presence. In fact, The Callisto Protocol could turn out to be a great product, but it is currently being outclassed by the promotion for Dead Space. Currently, the remake is completely overshadowing The Callisto Protocol due to the live streams and news that is regularly being shared.
Putting a new IP on the back burner is a move that could turn out to be double-edged. Although Glen Schofield himself occasionally shows Callisto Protocol artwork depicting some of the game's characters on his official social channels, it seems that the interest of horror fans is focused more on the release of Dead Space rather than The Callisto Protocol.
Glen Schofield and Striking Distance Studios will have to deliver an excellent media campaign in the months to come in order to reverse this trend and get eyes back on the promising game. Distracting attention from a horror cornerstone such as Dead Space is not easy, but, as shown so far, The Callisto Protocol seems to be an interesting title that can hold its own.
What might favor The Callisto Protocol is its launch window. If, as has happened with other major titles like Forspoken, it does not suffer a shift in the release period, it should be available on the market during the current year. Striking Distance Studios could take advantage of this time advantage to beat the competition, as the release date of Dead Space was recently postponed to early 2023.
Striking Distance Studios is working on an IP that could revive horror sci-fi games. It is also proposing something new, with a fresh plot and its own cast of characters. This differs from Dead Space which, being a remake, will not offer much different when it comes to its plot and characters, as it will mainly undergo a graphical and technical update. Still, with the Callisto Protocol going dark for so long, it is not too surprising that most horror fans are focusing more on Dead Space's return.
The Callisto Protocol will be available in 2022 for PC, PS4, and Xbox Series X\S.
