According to Striking Distance CEO Glen Schofield, horror game The Callisto Protocol no longer shares a universe with battle royale title PUBG.

Eagerly-anticipated sci-fi horror game The Callisto Protocol no longer exists in the same universe as PUBG, according to developer Striking Distance Studios. Shortly after its announcement during the 2020 Game Awards, developers divulged that the worlds of PUBG and The Callisto Protocol would share a fictional universe. The Striking Distance spokesperson who revealed this tidbit didn't offer much in the way of concrete details, leaving many to wonder how exactly the two disparate franchises could connect in terms of story and lore.

Set three centuries into the future in 2320, The Callisto Protocol's intergalactic adventure revolves around Callisto - one of Jupiter's many moons. The moon plays host to Black Iron Prison, where a mystery involving a strange conspiracy and grotesque creatures known as Biophages takes center stage. These details and others recently hit the web thanks to Game Informer's cover story in Issue #346, but several other pieces of information remain under lock and key. However, Striking Distance has lifted the veil on another conundrum.

Related: Callisto Protocol Gameplay Compared To Dead Space, "Absolutely Rocked"

Yesterday, May 26, Striking Distance CEO Glen Schofield took to Twitter to reveal that Callisto Protocol no longer shares a universe with PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. While the two originally existed in the same timeline, Schofield said The Callisto Protocol evolved into its own unique world boasting a story separate from the IP owned by the studio's publishing partner, Krafton. The original Twitter post from Schofield reads as follows:

FYI @CallistoTheGame is its own story and world. It no longer takes place in the PUBG Universe. It was originally part of the PUBG timeline, but grew into its own world. PUBG is awesome, &we will still have little surprises for fans, but TCP is its own world, story and universe.

Separating the two properties before The Callisto Protocol hits store shelves sometime this year seems the best call. Prospective players were already confused about the PUBG connection and any attempt at an explanation, even if technically sound, would've likely opened the door to skepticism that a new IP does not need to wrestle with amid the release of its debut outing. Still, it would be interesting to know what developers had in mind for the shared PUBG and Callisto Protocol universe.

The crew at Striking Distance isn't only attempting to make one of the scariest games in history. It wants the world of Callisto Protocol to reach beyond gaming and partnered with Skybound Entertainment to make such dreams a reality. Striking Distance and Krafton announced as much in early 2021; however, because the title itself has yet to launch, details concerning The Callisto Protocol's potential multi-media endeavors remain a mystery for the time being. But if the game does arrive this year, it's possible the wait to learn more won't persist for too much longer.

Next: Callisto Protocol Won't Skip Last-Gen, PS4 & Xbox One Release Confirmed

The Callisto Protocol comes to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2022.

A Senior Writer on Screen Rant's Game News team, Brianna Reeves graduated from Sam Houston Statue University in 2018 with a Master of Arts in English Literature. Brianna's enthusiasm for games dates back to Mortal Kombat Trilogy on PlayStation 1, along with classics like MediEvil, Syphon Filter, and THPS2. However, Red Dead Redemption reinvigorated her love for the medium; hopefully, that passion reflects in the work she has contributed to Comic Book Resources, PlayStation LifeStyle, GVMERS, and Screen Rant.