The Final Transmission DLC for The Callisto Protocol will be temporarily exclusive to PlayStation platforms, as confirmed by Striking Distance Studios. The final narrative DLC for the survival horror game is scheduled for release at the end of June, but it will not initially be accessible to all players.
PlayStation and The Callisto Protocol publisher Krafton appear to have reached a temporary agreement to keep Final Transmission exclusive to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The Callisto Protocol debuted in late 2022 with protagonist Jacob Lee as its focal point.
Lee is imprisoned on Callisto, one of Jupiter’s moons, under mysterious circumstances. Just as Lee is introduced to the prison system, all hell breaks loose, and he is forced to battle for his life as the prison population is infected with a disease that drives them to violence. The Callisto Protocol concludes on a cliffhanger, but the game’s season pass promises a story DLC known as Final Transmission.
However, the announcement of Final Transmission came with a significant caveat. Final Transmission will only be available on PlayStation platforms when it launches on June 27. They will wait regardless of whether they pre-purchased the season pass on PC or Xbox. Only now was the exclusivity period confirmed. At The Callisto Protocol’s introduction, it was not specified when the season pass went on sale.
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As aggravating as it may be that Krafton sold PlayStation an exclusive window for Final Transmission, the exclusivity will be rather brief. The PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions of Final Transmission will release on June 27.
It will be available for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on June 29, two days later. The exclusivity period is only two days long and is characterized as “early access” rather than platform exclusivity. Two days may not seem like a considerable exclusivity window, but it’s likely more than enough time to complete story-based DLC like Final Transmission.
This could result in PlayStation players of The Callisto Protocol completing Final Transmission and sharing their experiences online prior to PC and Xbox players. This is likely not what PC and Xbox season pass purchasers had in mind when they made their purchase.
Although the decision to make Final Transmission a two-day exclusive may prove controversial, it is also somewhat comprehensible. The Callisto Protocol was not particularly well-received, neither by critics nor by consumers. Krafton may have sold an exclusive window in an effort to recoup development expenses.
However, the fact that something is comprehensible does not necessarily make it the best option. Unfortunately, PC and Xbox users have few options besides requesting refunds.