This news follows lackluster sales and the recent release of the DLC.
Striking Distance Studios, the developer of the survival horror game “The Callisto Protocol,” has laid off 32 employees. They cited a need to “realign the studio’s priorities for the success of current and future projects.”
Krafton, the parent company of Striking Distance Studios, has confirmed that 32 employees will be affected by the layoffs.
The surprising news of the layoffs comes just two months after The Callisto Protocol’s debut and final story expansion DLC.
The studio, with its current headcount of only 144 employees, will experience a significant impact from these layoffs, as it will substantially reduce the number of staff members.
Krafton released a statement saying:
“Striking Distance Studios and Krafton have implemented strategic changes that realign the studio’s priorities to better position its current and future projects for success. Unfortunately, these changes have impacted 32 employees.
Honoring the invaluable contributions of each departing team member with material support in the form of outplacement services and meaningful severance packages is our top priority during this difficult moment.”
Upon The Callisto Protocol’s release, it received mixed reviews and faced various challenges. These ranged from performance issues and studio crunch to crediting concerns for the game’s developers.
Furthermore, reports indicated that The Callisto Protocol did not meet the sales expectations established by Striking Distance Studios’ parent company, Krafton.
The Callisto Protocol faced an even greater challenge when it came to sales. Krafton revised its sales expectations from five million to just two million in January. They acknowledged that achieving even the lower target would be difficult.
Despite the fact that two million units may not seem like a failure, Krafton invested more than $161 million into The Callisto Protocol during the preceding three years. Such an investment requires more than a few million copies sold to recoup.
Despite their efforts to boost sales with a recent DLC release, it appears that the game’s fate remained unchanged. The game also received a relatively low rating on Steam, with only 500 people providing feedback. This number is notably low for a highly anticipated game like The Callisto Protocol.
The official Callisto Protocol Trailer:
If you want to try out the game You can find the Callisto Protocol on Steam or for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PS4 and PS5.