Skip to main content

Prey 2 officially announced (finally)

When the original Prey debuted way back in 2006, the game was quickly dubbed a hit and it was among the best games available for the Xbox 360. Of course, the pickings were fairly slim at the time for the 8 month old console, but it was still a fine game that gained a decent following. So it wasn’t much of a surprise that development on a sequel had already begun. That was nearly five years ago.

Developed by Human Head Studios, Prey was both a critical and commercial success for both the developer and publisher, 2K Games. The game was originally announced in 1995, and after years of development hell, the title finally seemed to have the full support of all those involved. But following the release of Prey, the complicated minefield of legalities surrounding the game began to make things weird.

Recommended Videos

Although Human Head Studios is the official developer, 3D Realms is the producer. The Xbox 360 version though, was handled by Venom Games, while the Mac version was from Aspyr Media. To further complicate matters, the company Radar Group—which currently owns the rights to the Prey franchsie–was founded during this time, and is attached to produce the sequel. Radar Group is a company that does not develop or publish, but instead co-creates new IPs, which it claims will help with cross-media, including film.

Radar Group may end up being a beneficial force in video games, but as it was finding its footing Prey 2 was left on the backburner, at least until now. The original publisher, 2K Games, is no longer attached, and the publishing duties are now in the hands of Bethesda Softworks, who today announced that the sequel will be released in 2012.

If you missed the original, it is a game worth checking out (plus you can probably find a copy in the bargain bins thanks to the age of it). The story of Prey is seen through the eyes of Domasi “Tommy” Tawodi, a former Army soldier and member of the Cherokee. As the game begins, Tommy is trying to convince his girlfriend Jen to leave their reservation in Oklahoma, when the bar they are in is lifted up and taken into space aboard the “Sphere”.

The Sphere is a space bound construct circling and artificial sun, that travels from planet to planet and harvests resources—including people—which it then cybernetically augments and puts into service. After witnessing the brutal death of his grandfather, Tommy is himself wounded. In a near-death experience, he is granted ancestral powers including the ability to spirit-walk. He then begins to search the Sphere and fight the inhabitants in order to save Jen.

Prey was originally designed for the PC and the Xbox 360, with Mac and Linux ports debuting later. A PS3 version was not developed simply because the PS3 had not yet been released when the original title debuted. The sequel however will be available for the PS3, as well as the PC and Xbox 360.


Ryan Fleming
Former Gaming/Movies Editor
Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…
Topics
Borderlands 4 gets official announcement, few other details at Gamescom
A robot hand holding a borderlands psycho mask in front of a dark blue screen.

Borderlands 4 - Official Teaser Trailer

2K Games announced the long-awaited Borderlands 4 at Gamescom Opening Night Live on Wednesday, complete with an intense cinematic trailer.

Read more
Civilization 7 finally announced, but you’ll have to wait for more info
The banner for Civilization 7, with highlighted text on a dark background.

Sid Meier’s Civilization VII - Official Teaser Trailer

Civilization 7 will conquer your game time soon. The latest in the iconic turn-based 4X strategy franchise was announced by developer Firaxis Games during Summer Game Fest on Friday.

Read more
Everything announced at the Triple-i Initiative Showcase: Slay the Spire 2 and more
Key art for one of the characters in Slay the Spire 2.

Several indie game studios came together to hold a showcase of their own on April 10. to. Over the course of this 45-minute event, developers and publishers such as Darkest Dungeon 2’s Red Hook Studios, 33 Immortals’ Thunder Lotus, Dead Cells’ Evil Empire, and Hyper Light Breaker’s Heart Machine made announcements about their upcoming games. The biggest announcement was for Slay the Spire 2, a sequel to one of the best roguelikes of all time, and The Rogue Prince of Persia, a new roguelite game based on Ubisoft's franchise.

For fans of indie games, the Triple-i Initiative is a must-watch presentation. If you weren't able to tune in live or just want a rundown of what was announced by all these indie developments, we've rounded up every announcement made during The Triple-i Initiative's inaugural showcase.

Read more