For years, there was radio silence surrounding the third-person action title Prototype. However, a secret update on Steam now provides the decisive clue to a comeback.
Do you remember Prototype? In this open-world action game from 2009, you take on the role of hoodie-wearing Alex Mercer, who fights his way through a virus-ravaged New York in search of his lost memory. Thanks to a secret experiment, Mercer can shapeshift and has supernatural powers.
The game was particularly impressive at the time due to its brutal gameplay: as a living weapon, Mercer runs up walls, transforms his arms into giant blades, and unleashes pure chaos without moral consequences.
A mysterious update
However, that was 16 years ago. Now, an unexpected update for the Steam version of the title is causing a stir and fueling rumors among Prototype fans. As reported by our colleagues at IGN and Rock Paper Shotgun report, resourceful data miners have combed through the game files after a roughly 600 MB undocumented patch and come across some interesting new entries.
The game’s credits have been expanded by hundreds of names with the patch. Employees of Iron Galaxy Studios, a studio with extensive experience in remasters and responsible for Spyro Reignited Trilogy, among other titles, are now listed. Other Activision support studios such as Beenox and Demonware also appear on the list for the first time.
Another clue fueling speculation is a reference to a Ubisoft Connect version of the game. This may sound strange at first, but it makes sense in the context of the Microsoft-Activision takeover. At that time, Ubisoft secured the cloud gaming rights to Activision Blizzard titles, making a possible comeback of Prototype via Ubisoft’s service conceivable.
Although official confirmation is still pending, the signs strongly indicate that Alex Mercer’s vendetta could get a remake for modern systems. In any case, the community is almost certain: Prototype is about to make a comeback.