10 Rare Video Games That Survived Development Hell
5. Prey (2006) + Prey (2017) - 11 Years
Prey has a unique distinction, since the 2006 and 2017 version both took 11 years to to complete. Starting way back in 1995, 3D Realms intended Prey to showcase moveable portal technology - a mechanic that creates and moves portals in real time. Due to changes of leadership and immense technical issues, development was put on hold.
When 3D Realms circled back in 2001, they hired Human Head Studio to create a different version of Prey, which maintained the original design and concept. Prey launched five years later, selling a million copies in two months. With the extra-terrestrial shooter raking in cash, the publisher greenlit a sequel weeks later.
Due to rights issues with Bethesda, the developers couldn't start making Prey 2 until 2011. Unsatisfied with Human Head Studio's progress, Bethesda scrapped the project in 2013, before hiring Arcane Studios to develop a reboot, also called Prey. Despite sharing the same title, this follow-up has few ties with the original, working more like a cosmic Groundhog Day title, rather than a straight-forward survival horror.
Even though both versions of Prey were well-received, it's wild how it took 22 years for these two games to come to fruition.