The Callisto Protocol PC system requirements: Can you run it?

The Callisto Protocol
(Image credit: KRAFTON)

2022 has been an incredible year for games, and it's ending with quite a bang thanks to the release of The Callisto Protocol. Aimed at fans of immersive sci-fi horror games like Dead Space, the title (directed by Dead Space co-creator Glen Schofield) is designed to shock and terrify players as they attempt to survive the monster-infested Black Iron prison located on Callisto, one of Jupiter's moons.

The game is now available on several major platforms, including Xbox and Windows PC. Ahead of its release, Striking Distance Studios — the development team behind the game — revealed its full PC system requirements, including both the minimum and recommended specs. 

If you're a PC player, we've listed all of these requirements here so you can make sure your rig is capable of running the game smoothly. We've also explained how you can easily check your system's hardware.

What are the PC and system requirements for The Callisto Protocol?

The Callisto Protocol's system requirements at a glance. (Image credit: KRAFTON)

Below, you'll find both the minimum requirements and the recommended specs for The Callisto Protocol. If your PC meets the minimum requirements, you'll be able to play the game on low or medium settings with a decent framerate at 1080p. If it meets the recommended specs, you can expect a smooth, high frame rate 1080p experience at higher settings. Systems that exceed the recommended specs will be able to push extremely high frame rates, higher resolutions like 1440p and 4K, and/or ultra settings.

Notably, the developers confirmed that a list of recommended specs for "High and Ultra" are coming soon. When Striking Distance reveals what these suggested components are, we'll update this article with the latest information. Also, keep in mind that due to The Callisto Protocol's stuttering problem, performance won't be where it should be until fixes are rolled out. Note that you can mitigate the issue and improve performance with these settings tweaks.

The Callisto Protocol minimum requirements

Here are The Callisto Protocol's minimum requirements:

  • OS: Windows 10/11
  • CPU: Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600
  • GPU: NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Storage: 75 GB available space

These are The Callisto Protocol's recommended specs:

  • OS: Windows 10/11
  • CPU: Intel Core i7-8700 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX 5700
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 75 GB available space

Surprisingly, The Callisto Protocol's minimum and recommended specs are remarkably accessible compared to many other graphically-impressive games that have released in 2022, such as A Plague Tale: Requiem. The CPUs and GPUs listed above generally aren't difficult to acquire, and newer, equally-affordable alternatives that offer even better performance such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 are all over the market as well. 

Can my PC run The Callisto Protocol?

(Image credit: KRAFTON)

Checking if you have enough hard drive space is easy since the File Explorer app shows you how much available storage you have in each of your hard drives, but details on the rest of your specs are slightly harder to find. Don't worry, though, because tracking them down is still incredibly easy to do. By using the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, you can get a complete overview of your PC's components in seconds. Here's what to do:

  1. Click the Windows button on your taskbar.
  2. Type dxdiag.
  3. Click the dxdiag command in the search results. Windows will then show your PC specifications.
  4. Navigate to the System tab for details on your processor, memory, and Windows version.
  5. Navigate to Display tab for details on your graphics hardware.

If you need to get an upgrade or two in order to meet The Callisto Protocol's minimum or recommended specs, make sure you check out our roundups of all the best graphics card deals, the best CPU deals, and the best DDR4 and DDR5 RAM deals available right now. If you need more storage but you're not willing to get rid of any existing files or uninstall any of your existing apps and programs, you should also look into getting one of the best SSDs to add speedy storage to your rig, too. There are also the best gaming laptops to consider if you prefer to go mobile! 

The Callisto Protocol is now available on Xbox, PlayStation, and Windows PCs. The spiritual successor to the Dead Space franchise is arguably one of the best PC games (and one of the best Xbox games) of 2022, as it has incredible visuals and atmosphere, immersive third-person gameplay mechanics, and plenty of horrifying creatures to go around. Hopefully the stuttering issues get fixed soon.

The Callisto Protocol

The Callisto Protocol

If you're a fan of immersive survival horror, there's no doubt in our minds that The Callisto Protocol will be right up your alley. Survive the dark, cold moon of Callisto and uncover what's happening across the mysterious Black Iron prison.

See at: Amazon (Xbox Series physical) | Best Buy (Xbox Series physical) | Microsoft (Xbox One digital) | Microsoft (Xbox Series digital) | Steam (PC)

The Callisto Protocol Digital Deluxe Edition

The Callisto Protocol Digital Deluxe Edition

With the Digital Deluxe Edition of The Callisto Protocol, you'll have the Season Pass for post-launch content that's coming to this horror experience — including new gruesome death animations for when the fearsome threats lurking within Black Iron get the better of you.

See at: Microsoft (Xbox Series digital) | Microsoft (Xbox One digital) | Steam (PC)

Brendan Lowry

Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he's been an avid fan since childhood. He's been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you'll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he's not writing or gaming, there's a good chance he's either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once. Follow him on X (Twitter).