The Callisto Protocol is officially too gory for Japan

After numerous previews, The Callisto Protocol is shaping up to be one heck of a horror hit, but not everyone is going to see it. The game’s release has been jeopardized after developer Striking Distance and the Japanese ratings board CERO (Computer Entertainment Rating Organization) failed to reach an agreement on the game’s level of violence. Ideally, the game would get a Z rating, which equates to R-18 elsewhere. But rather than compromising their vision and changing the game, the developers have canceled the Japanese version instead. 

As a reminder of how truly gory the game is, here’s another preview:

According to the tweet released by Striking Distance, translated from Japanese:

“The Callisto Protocol has decided to stop the release of the Japanese version. As of now, the CERO rating cannot be passed. We have decided that we would no longer be able to provide you with the experience you need. We hope everyone in Japan will understand. If you have already pre-ordered, we will refund you.”

What makes this somewhat ironic is that a Japanese-American actress, Karen Fukuhara of the hit superhero show The Boys, features prominently in the trailer as the deuteragonist. 

In any case, customers in Japan who have already purchased the game will get a full refund. Japan players won’t be able to get The Callisto Protocol unless they download it from another region.

On a side note, publisher Krafton had previously announced that The Callisto Protocol will feature a 60 fps performance mode—an obvious dig at Gotham Knights, who had drawn criticism for previously announcing they won’t have it for consoles.

The Callisto Protocol releases on December 2, 2022, for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. You can check out a The Callisto Protocol key cheap with our comparator.