The Callisto Protocol’s international release is set for December 2, but Japanese gamers will miss out on this “next-generation take on survival horror”.
Here’s what the developers, Striking Distance Studios, shared about the game’s state:
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.
Japanese video game industry analyst, Serkan Toto, explains that this isn’t the first time that the CERO has stepped in to censor western games in Japan. However, this is one of the rare instances that a game won’t come out in Japan. Usually what happens is that the CERO asks developers to make two versions of the same game for Japan, a censored release and a “gory” one. But, Toto explains that even the “gory” version of a game goes through a lot of censoring compared to international and western releases despite receiving a “Z” rating for CERO.
It’s worth noting that a “Z” rating in Japan doesn’t mean that the same title will receive the same “Adults Only” rating or its equivalent in other countries. The Infamous games and the Destroy All Humans! remake all got a “Z” rating but were rated T by the ESRB.
CERO’s stringent rules when it comes to gore is likely the reason for the “ban” in Japan. The game’s developers have been outspoken about The Callisto Protocol’s brutality and gore, which is easily understandable. The game is directed by Glen Schofield, who was the co-creator of the Dead Space series.
Coincidentally, Dead Space was also banned in Japan, among other countries, due to the game’s excessive brutality and violence. It’s one of the few games that are banned outright in Japan like the entirety of the Mortal Kombat video game franchise.
If anything, we can also expect the Dead Space Remake to be unavailable in Japan when it launches on January 27.
