3D Realms set to resurrect Prey at E3 - report

Developer 3D Realms, currently working on the long-delayed Duke Nukem Forever, is reported to be preparing to reveal a "new" project at E3 this year - first person shooter title Prey, which was thought to have been cancelled several years ago.

The game was first unveiled in 1997, shortly after the success of Duke Nukem 3D, and built up a strong level of anticipation at the time - but was eventually dropped in favour of focusing on Duke Nukem Forever, a project which has yet to see the light of day.

Now CNN/Money's Game Over column, often a very reliable source of such rumours, is reporting that the project has been resurrected, with development being handed over to a third party studio under the watchful eye of 3D Realms' designers.

The game was reported back in the late nineties to follow the story of a Native American warrior called Talon Brave who fought against a number of alien races, and was said to rely heavily on light and shadow for its atmosphere and gameplay. The new version will apparently be based on id Software's Doom 3 engine.

No publisher has been attached to the project as yet, but as CNN/Money notes, Take Two Interactive has a close relationship with 3D Realms - occasional demands from the developer that its publisher should "STFU" aside.

As to whether Duke Nukem Forever itself will make an appearance at E3 - only time will tell. 3D Realms recently announced the first concrete piece of information about the game for a couple of years, namely the fact that it's using Meqon's hugely impressive physics middleware. Whether that's a sign that development is finally nearing completion or not, however, is open to interpretation.