Alien footage from secret Prey 2 game development reveals thrilling sci-fi bounty hunter gameplay, a captivating experience the heartless cosmos persistently refuses to bestow upon us

In the realm of video game development, leaks are not uncommon, and the latest one to cause a stir is a set of supposedly leaked gameplay footage from Prey 2. This sequel to the 2006 FPS, which was planned to place players in the shoes of a bounty hunter in an alien metropolis, was cancelled in 2014.

The leaked footage, posted by a YouTube account named "David Hallsted", has been circulating on Reddit. If David Hallsted is indeed the same person who worked as a lead level designer at Arkane and the original Prey developer Human Head Studios, as suggested by a LinkedIn post about being caught in sweeping Microsoft layoffs, there's reason to believe the footage is genuine.

The in-development footage of Prey 2 is rough around the edges, showcasing a fascination with cover systems typical of the late 2000s. The player can be seen blasting the bodyguard of an alien bigshot to simplify negotiations over information on a target. The character archetype of a space bounty hunter, as depicted in the leaked footage, combines elements of wandering ronin, western gunslingers, and is equipped with a cool spaceship and a jetpack.

The player in the leaked footage can scan nearby pedestrians to match them with bounty postings. Employers might prefer targets to be taken alive, as suggested by the combat gadgetry. The player has a suite of combat gadgetry, including micronova grenades, laser guided rockets, and electrified bolas. The player can restrain targets with electrified bolas, according to the leaked footage.

However, the leaked footage does not necessarily indicate a promising game. Lincoln Carpenter, a writer for PC Gamer with 11 years of experience, joins us to provide his perspective. "The leaked footage shows potential, but it doesn't necessarily indicate a promising game," he says. "It's important to remember that this is in-development footage, and a lot can change in the polishing and refining stages."

The most substantial of these leaked videos is a nine and a half-minute Prey 2 demo playthrough video. The player can be seen wandering the streets of a legally distinct Coruscant undercity while chasing bounty targets, waving a gun around at cowering civilians, and casually shoulder-checking an innocent alien off a balcony.

While the leaked footage provides a glimpse into a cancelled game, it also raises questions about the ethics of bounty hunting. Bounty hunters, generally speaking, aren't good people. The bounty postings may or may not specify whether collateral damage is acceptable.

The closest videogame experience to living out the fantasy of being a space bounty hunter was playing as the briefly-capitated dad of Boba Fett. Lincoln Carpenter, with his expertise in Caves of Qud bird diplomacy, getting sons killed in Crusader Kings, and hitting dinosaurs with hammers in Monster Hunter, offers a unique perspective on the subject. "The leaked Prey 2 footage offers an intriguing glimpse into the darker side of the bounty hunter lifestyle," he says. "It's a reminder that even in the far reaches of space, the pursuit of justice can be a morally grey area."

As the investigation into the authenticity and origins of the leaked Prey 2 footage continues, one thing is clear: the gaming community is eager for any insight into what could have been one of the most anticipated sequels of the last decade.