Fans of the horror genre in Japan will be disappointed to learn that the release of The Callisto Protocol in the nation has been cancelled. Unfortunately for horror fans, it seems that The Callisto Protocol is too terrifying, and its publication has been halted as a consequence.
Fans are looking forward to the debut of the horror game, which is presently scheduled for December 2. The Callisto Protocol may serve to replace the vacuum left by Dead Space’s absence, as well as whet the appetite of those on the fence about checking out the Dead Space remake, which is set to release in early 2023.
Unfortunately, the gore and body horror are preventing The Callisto Protocol from being published in Japan. Although Japan is home to some of the most renowned horror games, such as Resident Evil, the nation has extremely tight laws about what may be distributed there. Its CERO rating system is the counterpart of the ESRB in the United States, although the game was not rated by CERO owing to excessive violence and graphic material.
To satisfy rating bodies such as CERO, game producers may often release a modified version of the game, either exclusively for Japan or for all territories. However, in this situation, The Callisto Protocol’s creators are refusing to change the game in order to assure its release there. It’s bad for Japanese fans, but it’s also understandable on the side of the creators. While the game has yet to be released, limiting or censoring the game’s violence and gore would most certainly have a significant influence on the entire atmosphere and gameplay of the title. The devs have undoubtedly spent a significant amount of time creating the game to be as horrific as possible and changing any modifications now would most likely undercut that effort.
Even though the game originated in Japan, censorship of especially violent games is not unusual. Resident Evil 4, for example, featured greater violence in the west than in Japan since certain aspects, like as decapitations, had to be eliminated in Capcom’s home country. It seems to have had a lasting influence on the series, as Resident Evil 5 would go on to contain decapitations, but in all versions, the camera would move away to obscure the brutality, while western players of its predecessor were given the full of the violent action. Japan isn’t the only nation that requires title alterations or censoring; Germany has also had harsh gaming limitations in the past.
Unfortunately, Japanese fans will miss out on The Callisto Protocol, but there are plenty of other horrifying games planned for the near future.
