The Callisto Protocol Devs Claim Content is Not Locked Behind Season Pass
Earlier this week, there was quite an uproar around the highly anticipated sci-fi horror Callisto Protocol on Steam. The season pass (which has already appeared on multiple platforms) details plans for story DLC, new skins, and a few new game modes. While this isn’t too out of the ordinary for newer games released in 2022, there were certain aspects that raised a few eyebrows. This is especially true considering how much of the development staff of Striking Distance Studios worked on the original Dead Space trilogy- whose downfall was attributed to its publisher, EA. Given that heavy monetization with pre-launch DLC and egregious season passes are EA’s trademark at this point, it may be a little surprising to see a studio full of ex-EA staff partaking in similar business practices.
The biggest controversy of this season pass was the addition of 25 death animations detailed. This brings in the question of whether elements were deliberately stripped from the base game to be then sold on for an additional amount. This would be especially looked down upon considering that 'The Callisto Protocol’ is a full retail release for £49.99. Despite being slightly cheaper than its contemporaries, a season pass locking out base game content would lower the value of this deal substantially. However, these rumours were quickly addressed by Glen A. Schofield in a Twitter post:
By confirming that everything already made is going to be included at release, a lot of fans concerns were put to rest. It is common for DLC to be planned ahead of launch- as it allows developers to release additional content quickly. This allows the game to stay relevant and also allows players to stay engaged with the project much more than if content were released six months after the initial drop. Twtter user @Yaboiglumbert shared the following:
It is true that many games have had great post-release content- but the main difference between the season passes people love and those that are forgotten or (worst case) hated is the content included. While games like The Witcher 3 had two huge expansions alongside free content included for weeks after launch, it is unclear whether the quality or amount included in the pass will justify its price. From what we’ve heard so far, the story DLC and additional modes do seem substantial- but the extra kill animations seem a strange option to lock behind a paywall. This is especially true considering how small additions like this are generally given away for free post launch. See Sackboy: A Big Adventure for example- which is still receiving post launch costumes even over two years since its debut. Twitter user @Frankenllama1 was especially critical of this move:
Generally, fans seem very split on this decision, and it remains to be seen if this will have an impact on the sales of the base game or additional DLC later on. Whether or not you support the season pass or the content set to be included in it, you can pick up the full game when it launches on 2nd December 2022 (without the additional animations of course).
