Arkane really didn't want to call Prey (2017) 'Prey'

From Eurogamer: "Raphaël Colantonio has revealed that nobody at Arkane Austin wanted Prey (2017) to be titled Prey, and how it felt "gross" to have released something under someone else's IP.

Colantonio, known as the founder of Arkane Studios, served as the game's director and writer. He announced his departure from the studio shortly after the game's release, citing burnout and a desire to spend time with his son.

The fact that the game was never envisioned to be a part of the Prey IP isn't new for fans of the game or Arkane. It was documented by NoClip last year, in which Colantonio and other leads on the game explained that Bethesda was insistent that Arkane's next project had to be called Prey. Colantonio described the decision as a "non-negotiable compromise"."

[Sciurus_vulgaris]

Prey (2017) was only called Prey because Bethesda didn’t want to trademark a new title. The title of Prey made sense for the 2007 game due to the aliens harvesting humans for food. Prey (2017) could have been called “Typhon” or “Talos”. A somewhat corny alternate title could have been “Cybershock”, as Prey (2017) is a spiritual-successor to System Shock.

[Profchaos]

There was also a large amount of bad blood and ill will towards the original prey development team.
This seemed like a effort to stamp out the original prey franchise which is a shame as the planned prey 2 looked amazing

[darthv72]

the 360 Prey was a really cool game. i never played this one though as I thought it seemed like a weird reboot (turns out it wasnt). So I get what he says about using an already established name for something unrelated.

[deleted]

I actually skipped this game at launch because I rather enjoyed the 2007 360 game and was turned off when I saw no connection to the original in the previews.

I do regret not supporting it at launch, as this is a great game in its own right. He is 100% correct though, reusing the trademark hurt it. People were left confused, and it deserved better treatment.

[glennhkboy]

I feel that the latest Prey movie may also be "inspired" by the original Prey game.

[ZwVw]

Still holding out hope that Prey 2 (to Prey 2006) one day gets released. The game was literally complete and is just collecting dust in one of Bethesda's vaults.

[Fluke_Skywalker]

Yeah and all the footage that got released looked amazing. I really wanted that game!

[Sidewinder-]

One might say you're "Praying" for it....

[Sgt_Slaughter]

Wonder what they would even call that, Prey 2 would both be accurate and misleading at the same time

[Profchaos]

Same just stupid corporate politics and egos at play

[Giblet_Head]

It'll eventually get leaked by someone working/worked there.

[MadLad]

I thought it was common knowledge that the only reason Arkane's Prey was called "Prey" was because of the cancellation of Prey 2, and Bethesda wanted to try to capitalize on the name, being it was still a known title.

We didn't get the official Prey 2 because the studio refused to be purchased by Bethesda after it was basically finished, which is really petty.

[Phoenix76]

I think I still have my copy of prey. Will have to dig it out. Remember the opening scene In the bar and "don't fear the reaper" playing in the background lol

[CrimsonWing69]

I mean they shouldn’t, it’s not like a continuation of the original Prey game.

[TheColbertinator]

Prey 2017 is one of my favorite games. Don't know how exactly but it is a very comforting game for me.

[SimpleSlave]

Should've been called NEURO SHOCK

The name connects the game to the rest of the Shock games. It also contains the first word of Neuromancer, the novel that inspired the first System Shock. It also makes sense given the fact that the game is about enhancing the Neurological System - mainly the Brain - through the use of Neuromods (Neural Modifier). And weather it was using or extracting a Neuromod, it created a sort of Shock to the...System...as in...System Shock...

I mean it was right fucking there. Whatever.

[Sciurus_vulgaris]

Yah, I think Neuro Shock is a great proper name for Prey (2017). It pays homage to System Shocks whilst enforcing the significance of Neuromods.

[CobraKai]

The guy is right. Fans of the og were not gonna be happy with a reboot and people that didn’t like the og weren’t gonna be give it another look. As a fan of the 360 game, I wanted to know where they were gonna go from the 360 game. I had no interest in a reboot that seemingly had nothing to do with the original.
Unfortunately, a devs artistic decision has to take a back seat to what the corporation that’s backing the game wants.

[-Foxtrot]

It's the reason I have and still not had a reason to this day to give it a go

I loved the original Prey and doing a "reboot" using that name after cancelling the sequel left a sour taste in my mouth

I mean don't get me wrong, the cancelled sequel having a generic looking shaven head soldier/bounty hunter as the main character while our boy Tommy was reduced to an NPC was bullshit but at least it was connected.

I just want a sequel where it picks up right after the last game, with Tommy coming out from the other side of the portal.

[0hMyGandhi]

I adore their version of Prey, and I think calling it that was a huge disservice to the game. Too much baggage around that title. Prey 2's bounty hunter-style thing made a bit more sense, but neither game seemed to have any real ties to the x360 original.