A new tie-in podcast series has been launched to promote upcoming horror game The Callisto Protocol, as part of a partnership between the game’s developer Striking Distance Studios, its parent company Krafton, and games media brand IGN.
The six-part scripted podcast prequel, titled The Callisto Protocol: Helix Station, will tease the upcoming game, set for release on 2 December, and follows the story of an escaped criminal and a pair of bounty hunters trying to catch them in the year 2320.
The first two episodes of the show, starring Game of Thrones actress Gwendoline Christie and Starship Troopers actor Michael Ironside as protagonists Percy and Kane, are out now, with further episodes released every Thursday up until the game’s launch next month.
"Helix Station is a dark, thrilling piece of science fiction horror," said Christie as part of the announcement. "It was amazing to work with the team at Striking Distance Studios to bring the character Percy to life and lay the narrative foundation for The Callisto Protocol."
Along with the prequel, Striking Distance Studios has also released a docuseries called Mastering Horror which looks at the behind the scenes elements of creating the horror game.
According to the CEO of Striking Distance Studios Glen Schofield, the podcast prequel allows for fans to connect with the game before it’s officially released
“We’ve built a rich narrative around The Callisto Protocol, and ‘Helix Station’ is a chance for fans to go deep with the United Jupiter Company and Black Iron Prison before the game comes out,” said Schofield. “The cast did an amazing job bringing these characters to life, and we hope fans love this extension of The Callisto Protocol.”
Other highly-anticipated properties which have employed similar tactics to promote a release include Marvel’s recent launch of Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast ahead of the sequel release later this year. This is the first podcast series of the franchise to be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
