Containing Too Brutal Violence, The Callisto Protocol Failed To Release In Japan

The Callisto protocol canceled release in Japan (photo: PlayStation)

JAKARTA - The Callisto Protocol developer finally canceled launching his game in Japan for refusing to pass the censorship.

"We have decided to cancel Japan's version of "The Callisto Protocol". Currently, it cannot exceed the CERO rankings," developer Striking Distance Studios said in an announcement shared on Twitter.

He said that if they changed the content, they would not be able to provide the players had expected experience.

2) In the 1990s, Japan was a lot softer when it comes to video game censorship.CERO was founded in 2002 and has become stricter and stricter over the years.Games censored for nudity and violence in Japan include Last Of Us, Cyberpunk, Uncharted 1, Witcher 3, GTA V etc.

— Dr. Serkan Toto / Kantan Games Inc. (@serkantoto) October 27, 2022

In a separate thread tweeted by the game industry consultant in Japan, Dr. Serkan Toto, there are several reasons why The Callisto Protocol has finally been canceled.

The first reason is that the CERO gaming agency in Japan does not like the level of violence in games which is considered too brutal.

CERO was founded in 2002, and since then, the launch of games in Japan has become very tight. There are several games that are censored due to violence, nudity, such as Last of Us, Cyberpunk, GTA V, and so on.

"The problem is the bloody version, which usually brings the strictest "Z" rating from CERO for ages 18+, is also censored when compared to Western releases," he said.

So, because the developer doesn't want to cut scenes in the game, it will change the content. Striking Distance Studios prefers to cancel the launch.

"I would really appreciate it if you could understand Japanese people. Fund refunds will be given to those who have pre-ordered it," the announcement concluded.