The Callisto Protocol Credits Controversy Explained
The release of "The Callisto Protocol" has already been less than stellar for developer Striking Distance Studios, and things have just gotten more complicated. The game launched to decidedly mixed reviews and seems to have fallen off players' radars fairly quickly. Now, the game is back in the news, but not for the reasons the developer had likely hoped.
As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, numerous former Striking Distance employees allege that they were unfairly left out of the game's credits. Approximately twenty individuals are said to have been wrongly uncredited, and while none chose to reveal their identities, several did anonymously express their frustration and disappointment to GamesIndustry.biz. These employees conveyed a mix of surprise, sadness, and anger at being left out of a game they had worked hard on.
In addition to sharing their feelings, these employees also stressed that these cases of being left out did not seem to be accidents or instances of employees who only worked for a short time and made minor contributions to the game. Indeed, some employees emphasized that they and others had put considerable time and effort into developing "The Callisto Protocol" and were shocked to see they were not included in the credits.
Some allege Striking Distance punished employees for leaving
Striking Distance Studios did not respond to GamesIndustry.biz before publication. As of writing, it does not seem to have issued any statement or explanation regarding the controversy at this time. Some former employees, however, speculate that their absence from the credits was meant as a punishment for leaving the studio and a perceived lack of commitment.
"I think the [company's founding leadership] like loyalty and they can be punitive if they detect a lack of it," one individual told GamesIndustry.biz. Another echoed this suspicion and argued that they only encountered any negativity at the company when they left. Another person spoke of favoritism, arguing that the location of an employee's listing in the credits seemed to be related to how leadership felt about them.
Whatever the reason for these crediting decisions, this controversy does speak to a more significant ongoing issue in the industry. For example, controversy arose last year with "Metroid Dread's" credits causing an uproar, and a similar situation came to light surrounding "Deathloop" developer Arkane Lyon right around the same time (per Kotaku).
Until Striking Distance responds to these complaints, the controversy and employee discontent is the only side to the story onlookers have available.