It has been revealed thatThe Callisto Protocol,an upcoming sci-fi survival horror game from new developer Striking Distance Studios, received contributions in its development from Playstation and its parent company, Sony.The Callisto Protocolhas generated significant hype online since its announcement, in large part due to the incredible graphics and animation on display in the trailers shown thus far.Directed by Glen Schofield,co-creator of the iconicDead Spaceseries,The Callisto Protocolhas frequently been described as a spiritual successor to those games due to similarities in setting, aesthetic, and gameplay elements. Schofield has stated in interviews that there is no connection between the fictional universes ofDead SpaceandThe Callisto Protocol,although a great deal of creative influence from the former has clearly found its way into the new IP. One of the evident similarities lies in the gruesome, gory imagery employed in both games, althoughThe Callisto Protocolcertainly displays a unique and visually stunning style, especially in its cinematic scenes.RELATED:New The Callisto Protocol Screenshots and Footage ReleasedIt seems that some of the credit for the impressive quality of these cinematics may be due to a collaboration between Striking Distance Studios and Sony’s Visual Arts Services Group (VASG). Responding to a tweet highlighting the fact thatThe Callisto Protocolrented outPlaystation’s motion capture studio spaceto film its cinematics, former VASG studio head Michael Mumbauer stated on Tuesday that Sony’s contributions to the project went even further. According to Mumbauer, Playstation and the VASG “contributed quite a lot to the cinematics and more,” suggesting a deeper collaboration with Striking Distance than was previously recognized.
The San Diego-based VASG has been offering assistance in the form of resources and expertise to a variety of game development studios for many years and has been called an unsung hero ofcountless popular Playstation titles. Most of the beneficiaries of VASG’s aid are Sony-owned studios, but the company does collaborate with third-party studios like Striking Distance from time to time.
For a relatively small and untested studio like Striking Distance, collaborating with influential companies like Sony seems like a smart move, as doing so provides access to facilities and technology far beyond the reach of most developers. It is quite likely that the widely-praised cinematics seen fromThe Callisto Protocolcan be attributed at least in part to the success of this collaboration, although thehardworking team at Striking Distance Studioscertainly still deserves the lion’s share of the credit. Fans will get to see all of the game’s cinematics and more whenThe Callisto Protocolcomes out next month.
The Callisto Protocolreleases December 2 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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