Callisto Protocol studio suffers layoffs but ‘remains operational’, Krafton confirms
Krafton has “reduced the size” of Striking Distance Studios
Striking Distance Studios, the developer behind The Callisto Protocol, has been hit with a round of layoffs.
Its parent company Krafton said it has “reduced the size” of the California-based studio, but that it “remains operational”.
It confirmed the layoffs in a statement issued to PC Gamer, after multiple affected employees broke the news on LinkedIn.
“Most of the devs were laid off”, wrote former director of concept art Jesse Lee, who had been with Striking Distance for almost six years.
Zach Volker, who lost his job as animation director, said the studio had suffered “lots of layoffs”, while former cloud devops engineer Seth Spitkoski said he was among “many” who were let go.
“Striking Distance Studios has reduced the size of its team to remain agile, which creates a sustainable environment for the studio at its current stage of development,” a Krafton spokesperson told PC Gamer. “The studio remains operational, and these changes will not impact any planned ongoing support. No further changes are planned at this time.”
Dead Space creator Glen Schofield founded Striking Distance in 2019 with the goal of crafting an original narrative experience in the PUBG universe, although the project evolved over time into a sci-fi survival horror game that was no longer tied to the franchise.
The Callisto Protocol received mixed reviews when it was released in December 2022, a month before EA released a critically acclaimed Dead Space remake, and reportedly failed to meet Krafton’s sales expectations. Schofield left the studio in September 2023.
Striking Distance’s most recent release was last October’s roguelike Callisto Protocol spin-off, Redacted, which the studio said was developed by a small team, alongside its next full-scale game, which has yet to be announced.
