Rumor: Prey 2 Development Stricken By Dev Strike?
Do you remember where you were when you first heard that Prey 2 might be dead? Me neither. But I remember where I was when I heard it emerged from the wreckage with a few bumps, bruises, and a sizable slip out of 2012 - mostly because that was yesterday. Bethesda chalked it up to the fact that "development has not progressed satisfactorily this past year, and the game does not currently meet our quality standards." But why? Incredibly long national holiday, perhaps? Or maybe a hypnotically mesmerizing butterfly? And while those two options sound extremely plausible, Shacknews has a potential contender for third place: a full-on strike at Human Head.
According to the site's source, development on the space-racing free-runner came to a complete halt in November. It apparently hasn't budged since. Human Head, so the story goes, made an angry human face at its contract with Zenimax and effectively went on strike while renegotiating for a better one. The two sides, however, failed to see human-eye-to-human-eye, so the business folks (one of whom I'm really hoping was named "Hugh Mann") more or less ceased talks in January. That was then followed by a brief moment of hope in March, which quickly hit the skids.
Admittedly, things could have improved since then, but Shacknews is speculating that a new developer could be brought in to complete the project. Presented in that light (probably with "Don't Fear the Reaper" blaring the background), the news that Human Head's mulling over a Rune revival is a tad worrisome. Obviously, it's all speculation for now, but the puzzle pieces together a bit too nicely - though the final image is less kitten-prancing-through-a-sunlit-field and more sad-clown-holding-deflated-balloons.
Bethesda, meanwhile, refuses to confirm or deny, merely opting to say, "we aren't commenting on the game's development beyond what was said in the statement that was released this morning." See as it's announced an official delay and not an out-and-out cancellation, though, someone's developing the game, right? Or at least, I'd assume so. More soon? Maybe? Here's hoping.