Report: Prey 2 delayed by contract dispute
Source claims Human Head hasn't worked on game since November
A report from an anonymous source has claimed that the reason behind the delay of Prey 2, once thought cancelled, is a contract dispute between developer Human Head, and publisher Zenimax.
Speaking to ShackNews the source said that the studio decided to down tools in November in an attempt to force Zenimax to renegotiate contract terms. During this period, many developers were laid off, with the expectation being that they would be rehired once the project began again.
Speculation is now rife that the game will be moved to another developer for completion.
Yesterday, Bethesda addressed fears that the game had been cancelled, reassuring fans that it was still in production, despite a delay into 2013. Bethesda also issued a statement claiming that the game was not up to standard as yet, needing more work.
"Development of Prey 2 has not been cancelled but the game will not be released in 2012 as planned," the publisher explained.
"The delay is due to the fact that game development has not progressed satisfactorily this past year, and the game does not currently meet our quality standards. Prey 2 has shown great promise and we regret disappointing our fans. We have made a substantial investment in game development to deliver the experience fans want.
"We are determined only to release the triple-A game that fans rightfully expect, and are unwilling to compromise our quality standards to meet a release schedule."
Bethesda and Zenimax has declined to comment any further.