Arkane Studios is best known for producing the critically-acclaimed Dishonored series and the spin-off Wolfenstein: Young Blood. Fans and critics alike loved both of these outings. While most of us associate the studio with high-quality games that involve little to no controversy, Arkane found itself in a peculiar spot in 2017 because of a simple name change.
Arkane released a criminally underrated game in 2017, Prey. The game, although excellent by any standards, suffered from poor sales because it shared the same name as a 2006 title by Human Head Studios, which was also a critical hit. Furthermore, Bethesda made the terrible mistake of claiming that the 2017 title was a reboot of the 2006 game. The problem with this is that the only similarity that the newer first-person shooter had with the mid-2000s classic is that it pits players off against aliens.
In a recent interview with the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, the former Arkane founder and game director Raphaël Colantonio reveals that Bethesda Softworks forced the studio to use the name Prey for its new shooter game. This would explain why Colantonio stepped down and left the studio following the release of Prey. I did not want to call this game Prey. I had to say I wanted to anyway in front of journalists. The reimagining of an IP The game was well received but did not reach sales expectations.