Does Callisto Protocol, the sequel to Dead Space, have a place in Xbox Game Pass? Not really, if we’re to believe the studio, which is pessimistic on the subject.
During Gamescom 2022 the site will be true successes was able to chat with Mark James, Chief Technology Officer at Striking Distance Studios, developers of The Callisto Protocol. And especially her vision of the Xbox Game Pass for her game – if it has to be, then clearly not at launch or in the medium term.
Callisto Protocol is eligible for Xbox Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass isn’t for everyone, and apparently neither is for The Callisto Protocol. Chief Technology Officer Mark James isn’t convinced of the viability of this type of subscription service for a single-player game like his studio’s.
I consider these services to be designed for open world gaming and repetitive multiplayer gaming. I believe these games survive well on this service. Microsoft offers its own single player games on the Service and I believe that the platform holding studios will offer single player games on the Service; I’m just saying that this financial model is difficult for an independent studio to implement. I think you will see single player games but it will probably come from builders.
As an independent third-party studio, it’s really difficult to get a third-person linear game to work within these services. I’m not saying it will never happen, but it’s financially complicated.
Mark James still leaves the door open. If sales stagnate, it’s not out of the question that the studio could strike a deal with Microsoft to put butter in the spinach.
common doubts
This is far from the first time pros – but players too – have expressed these concerns. Especially since The Callisto Protocol is not a low-budget indie title. But an AAA that is expensive to produce and needs a real return on investment. Shawn Layden, former head of PlayStation, had also stated that given the cost of the games, it didn’t make sense to offer them in a cheap subscription when you exited.
And the same story for Jim Ryan, the new CEO and President of Sony Interactive Entertainment. “The level of investment we require for our studios would be compromised, as would the quality of the games, and we believe that’s not what gamers want.” he said.
At the moment, the logic of Xbox Game Pass and any other service that would have the same benefits is to increase the number of subscribers at any cost. It goes through internal content and negotiates with publishers to get the games onto the platform. It is ultimately the operation of Netflix that has not paid attention to the cost of piling up subscriptions but is crashing today despite its 220.67 million subscribers. The Xbox Game Pass was with him more than 25 million subscribers last January. The future will show if this system can take over the traditional consumption of video games or not.
Dead Space’s rival, The Callisto Protocol, will be released on December 2nd, 2022 on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC.
