Games

Callisto Protocol Director Says Krafton Rushed the Game to Release

BBG News

As a gamer who’s been through countless delays and cancellations, I can empathize with Geln Schofield’s plight. It’s always heartbreaking when a highly anticipated game gets rushed out the door due to external pressures. In this case, it seems like Krafton was eager to cash in on The Callisto Protocol, but at the cost of a potentially better product.

Geln Schofield, the head of Striking Distance Studios and the director for The Callisto Protocol, stated that the game’s publisher, Krafton, hastened the release date.

In an interview with Dan Allen Gaming (through VGC), Schofield stated that he needed approximately three and a half more months for the game, which he thought would be possible around October or September of 2021. However, he was told, “You’ll receive the time, just no regrets” – this phrase was repeated frequently. Essentially, he was encouraged to put all his efforts into the game without any second thoughts.

During that Christmas break, I spent my time brainstorming and collaborating on designs with a few colleagues. Come January, some members from Krafton visited us and clarified that it was actually December of 2022 they were referring to.

“I found myself saying, ‘It seems unlikely that this will be completed without additional costs.’ It’s not as simple as saving money because the work is being rushed; in fact, if we stick with the original plan, no extra hands would be needed. However, if you insist on moving things up by three and a half months, I’ll need to expedite everything, which inevitably means bringing more people on board.”

Schofield continued by explaining that COVID-19 was yet another significant challenge. “We were heartbroken,” he admitted. “Often, our entire Visual Effects and Animation departments would be affected, all at once. To make matters worse, in 2021 we experienced the Great Resignation. A total of 49 team members decided to leave. The reason? Other companies were offering higher salaries, sometimes as much as $10,000 more. That year was undeniably the toughest for me in terms of development.”

In retrospect, Schofield wishes he had been firmer and delayed the release of The Callisto Protocol.

Regardless of any issues that may have arisen during its launch, it’s clear that the game was well-made. If you’re interested, take a look at our review of it right over here.

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2024-08-07 19:12

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