Striking Distance Studios, known for their alien horror game The Callisto Protocol, has recently undergone a series of layoffs affecting 32 employees. The studio’s publisher, Krafton, states that these changes are part of an effort to realign priorities and ensure the success of current and future projects. The affected employees, including associate producer Nora Falcon, senior environment artist Matthew Smith, and production coordinator Sebastion Marlow, were among those who shared the news on social media.
Strategic Changes for Success
In a joint statement to IGN, Striking Distance Studios and Krafton confirmed the layoffs and explained the reasoning behind them. These strategic changes aim to position the studio’s projects better for success. While unfortunate for the impacted employees, the studio and publisher emphasize their commitment to providing material support through outplacement services and significant severance packages.
The Callisto Protocol and Expectations
The Callisto Protocol, released in late 2022, was anticipated as a spiritual successor to the popular horror game Dead Space, with the involvement of former Dead Space producer Glen Schofield. However, reports indicate that the game faced challenges in meeting sales expectations. It was estimated that The Callisto Protocol needed to sell five million copies to offset its substantial production budget. Unfortunately, by January 2023, only two million copies had been sold.
Disappointments and Technical Issues
The reception of The Callisto Protocol was mixed, with criticism directed towards several aspects of the game. Alice Bee’s review highlighted issues with unconventional combat controls and technical problems on the PC version. While patches were released to address the stuttering issues, the overall consensus remained that the game was only average.
Striking Distance Studios’ recent layoffs reflect the studio’s effort to reorient its priorities and ensure the success of its projects. Despite the setback with The Callisto Protocol, the studio remains determined to support the departing employees through outplacement services and severance packages. It is crucial for the studio to learn from the challenges faced by their previous game and apply those lessons to future endeavors to achieve greater success in the gaming industry.
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