The Callisto Protocol Season Pass: What's Included?

Directed by Glen Schofield of "Dead Space" fame, "The Callisto Protocol" promises an abundance of scares and terrifying set pieces that will unnerve even the most seasoned of horror gamers. Right now, the base title is slated to release across multiple platforms on December 2. But if players want more content from the get-go, they're going to have to fork out extra cash for the season pass.

The official website lists the season pass for "The Callisto Protocol" as included in both the game's $79.99 Digital Deluxe edition and the $249.99 Collector's Edition. The season pass may be available for purchase on its own post-release. For now, however, it's exclusive to anyone who pre-orders these special editions. But what exactly is included in the season pass that will make it worth it to buy one of the more expensive "The Callisto Protocol" packages? 

As listed on the game's official Steam page, one of the perks of purchasing the season pass for "The Callisto Protocol" is the inclusion of new skins. Known as the Outer Way Skin Collection, players will have the ability to "bear the armor of the Outer Way, an underground insurgency pitted against the UJC, as you fight to survive the horrors of Callisto." Though merely a cosmetic, it's a neat perk for those willing to spend the extra cash.

Perhaps the most intriguing of the season pass perks is the Contagion Bundle. This bundle includes a whole new way to play "The Callisto Protocol," granting access to the Contagion mode. Essentially, this is a survival mode that reduces ammunition and healing resources and adds permadeath, restricting players to only one chance to complete each run. To further sweeten the pot, the Contagion mode features 13 unique death animations for protagonist Jacob, as well as the Watchtower Skin Collection.

"The Callisto Protocol" season pass also includes the Riot Bundle, which offers Riot mode as its main selling point. A Horde mode-type experience, Riot mode takes players into a new part of Black Iron Prison and forces them to outlast waves of increasingly dangerous foes. As you eliminate threats, you will gain credits which can be used to either upgrade your current weapon or create a new one entirely. Similar to the Contagion Bundle, the Riot Bundle contains 12 new death animations (but for enemies in this case) and a skin collection.

The season pass also includes story-related DLC. At this time, Striking Distance Studios and Krafton, Inc. have yet to provide details regarding the narrative beyond the core campaign. Earlier in 2022, CTO Mark James stated that the team planned to support the title with additional content for a year after launch, though he didn't delve into specifics (via TrueTrophies). "We've left the world expandable," said James. "We've created a world that can tell different stories, and so we can either tell those stories either through DLC, or we could actually tell those stories through subsequent products."