If you’ve been eyeing The Callisto Protocol but couldn’t justify the full price tag, today is your lucky day. Epic Games Store just made the $60 sci-fi survival horror game completely free as part of their ongoing holiday 2025 giveaway. The catch? You only have 24 hours from December 24 at 8 PM IST until December 25 at 9:30 PM IST to claim it. Once it’s in your library, it’s yours forever, even after the promotion ends.
What Is The Callisto Protocol
Released in December 2022, The Callisto Protocol is a third-person survival horror game set 300 years in the future on Jupiter’s dead moon, Callisto. You play as Jacob Lee, a cargo pilot who ends up imprisoned in Black Iron Prison after a delivery mission goes catastrophically wrong. When a mysterious outbreak transforms inmates into horrifying mutated creatures called Biophages, Jacob must fight his way through the prison’s blood-soaked corridors to survive and escape.
The game comes from Striking Distance Studios and director Glen Schofield, the creative mind behind the original Dead Space series. That pedigree alone generated massive hype before launch, with the game positioned as a spiritual successor to one of gaming’s most beloved horror franchises. The final product features stunning visuals, brutal combat mechanics focused heavily on melee fighting, and some of the most disturbing gore effects ever seen in a video game.
The Dead Space Connection Nobody Can Ignore
Comparisons to Dead Space are completely unavoidable, and honestly, that’s by design. Schofield deliberately crafted The Callisto Protocol as an evolution of the formula he helped create with Dead Space. Both games share DNA in their setting (isolated space facilities overrun by hostile creatures), atmosphere (oppressive sci-fi horror), and mechanics (strategic dismemberment of enemies). The game even initially started development with plans to exist within the PUBG universe before that connection was ultimately dropped.
However, where Dead Space emphasized ranged plasma cutter combat and tactical dismemberment from a distance, The Callisto Protocol pushes players into close-quarters melee brawls. Your stun baton becomes your primary weapon in the early hours, with guns functioning more as last-resort options. The dodge system requires precise timing as you weave between enemy attacks, creating a rhythm-based combat flow that feels distinctly different from Dead Space’s more strategic approach. Some players found this shift refreshing while others felt it made encounters repetitive and frustrating.
The Reception Was Mixed
The Callisto Protocol launched to decidedly mixed reviews. On OpenCritic, it holds an average score of 67 with only a 41 percent recommendation rate from critics. Reviewers praised the game’s phenomenal graphics, incredible attention to detail in its gore system, and strong performances from lead actors Josh Duhamel and Karen Fukuhara. The production values are undeniably AAA, with every frame looking like it could be pulled from a blockbuster sci-fi horror film.
Where the game stumbled was in areas that mattered most for long-term engagement. Critics pointed to a lack of enemy variety, with most Biophages looking and behaving similarly throughout the campaign. The level design pushed players forward relentlessly with limited backtracking or exploration, making it feel more like a rollercoaster ride than a haunted house you could freely explore. Combat encounters occasionally felt unfairly balanced, and the upgrade system was considered too linear compared to Dead Space’s deeper customization options.
Technical Problems at Launch
Launch was particularly rough on PC, with widespread performance issues including severe stuttering problems that frustrated many early adopters. Striking Distance Studios did release patches addressing some of these concerns, but the technical troubles combined with gameplay criticisms meant The Callisto Protocol never achieved the blockbuster success its budget and marketing suggested it would reach.
Epic’s Holiday Generosity Continues
The Callisto Protocol represents day 8 of Epic Games Store’s massive 2025 holiday giveaway event. Epic confirmed they’re giving away a total of 17 free games throughout the promotion, which kicked off December 18 with Hogwarts Legacy and runs through January 8, 2026. That’s nearly three weeks of daily free games, adding up to hundreds of dollars in value if you claim everything.
This isn’t the first time The Callisto Protocol has been free on Epic. The game was also offered during a promotion in late August 2024, so if you grabbed it then, you already have it in your library. For everyone who missed that window, this represents a second chance to add a $60 AAA game to your collection without spending a dime. After The Callisto Protocol’s 24-hour window expires, Epic will reveal Mystery Game number 9, continuing the daily rotation through the end of the year and into early January.
Should You Claim It
Even with its flaws, The Callisto Protocol is absolutely worth claiming for free. The game delivers a solid 10-12 hour campaign with jaw-dropping visuals that push modern hardware to its limits. The gore system really is as advanced as promised, creating genuinely unsettling moments where you’ll wince at the creative ways Jacob can meet his end. If you have any interest in horror games, sci-fi settings, or just want to see what a Dead Space successor looks like with a different approach to combat, there’s no reason not to add this to your library.
Just temper your expectations. This isn’t going to replace Dead Space as your favorite space horror game, and it won’t provide the depth or replayability that franchise offered. What it will give you is a tightly paced, visually stunning horror experience that works best when you accept it on its own terms rather than constantly comparing it to its spiritual predecessor. At zero dollars, that’s an easy recommendation.
FAQs
How do I claim The Callisto Protocol for free?
Visit the Epic Games Store website or open the Epic Games launcher on PC. Navigate to The Callisto Protocol’s store page and click the button to add it to your cart. Complete the checkout process while the price shows as free. Once claimed, the game stays in your library permanently even after the promotion ends.
How long is The Callisto Protocol available for free?
The game is free from December 24, 2025, at 8 PM IST until December 25, 2025, at 9:30 PM IST. That’s a 24-hour window to claim it. After that period, the next mystery game in Epic’s holiday lineup will replace it.
Was The Callisto Protocol previously free on Epic?
Yes. Epic Games Store previously offered The Callisto Protocol for free during a week-long promotion in late August 2024. If you claimed it during that window, you already own it and don’t need to claim it again.
How does The Callisto Protocol compare to Dead Space?
The Callisto Protocol emphasizes close-quarters melee combat with a dodge-focused system, while Dead Space prioritized ranged plasma cutter combat with strategic dismemberment. Dead Space offers more enemy variety, deeper exploration, better weapon variety, and more complex upgrade systems. The Callisto Protocol has superior graphics and gore effects but feels more linear and repetitive in its encounters.
What are the PC system requirements?
The Callisto Protocol is a demanding game that had performance issues at launch. Minimum requirements include a GTX 1060 or equivalent, but you’ll want significantly more powerful hardware to run it smoothly at higher settings. The game benefits from modern GPUs and fast storage due to its detailed visuals and frequent loading of high-quality assets.
Is The Callisto Protocol worth playing in 2025?
At free, absolutely yes. The game delivers a visually stunning horror experience with solid voice acting and impressive production values. While it has flaws in combat repetition and level design, it’s still an entertaining 10-12 hour campaign that’s well worth experiencing if you enjoy survival horror games.
How many games is Epic giving away for the holidays?
Epic Games Store confirmed they’re giving away a total of 17 free games during their 2025 holiday promotion. The event started December 18 with Hogwarts Legacy and runs through January 8, 2026, with daily game reveals creating an advent calendar-style experience.
Does The Callisto Protocol have DLC?
The game launched with plans for a season pass, but post-launch support was minimal due to the game’s underwhelming sales performance. The free Epic version is the standard edition, so you’re getting the core experience without additional story content or major expansions.
Conclusion
The Callisto Protocol might not have lived up to its lofty expectations as the next Dead Space, but at absolutely zero cost, it’s a no-brainer addition to your gaming library. The game’s biggest sin was launching at full AAA price with flaws that prevented it from justifying that premium. As a free experience, those same issues become much easier to overlook. You get a gorgeous, gory, intense survival horror campaign that delivers genuine scares and memorable moments even if it doesn’t revolutionize the genre. Glen Schofield and his team at Striking Distance Studios created something that falls short of masterpiece status but still offers plenty of value for horror fans. With Epic’s 24-hour claiming window closing soon, the only question left is whether you’ll remember to grab it before the opportunity disappears. Set a reminder, claim your copy, and experience one of 2022’s most visually impressive horror games without spending a single rupee. Just be prepared for some seriously disturbing death animations along the way.