Rishabh Borde
Fans of ‘The Predator’ can rejoice, as it looks like the iconic hunter is returning to video games with the upcoming game ‘Predator: Hunting Grounds’. In case you’re out of the loop, Predators are fictional species of extraterrestrials hunters that travel from planet to planet finding increasingly tougher targets to hunt and kill for sport.
The character first debuted on the big screen in 1987’s action blockbuster ‘Predator’ starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, and Jesse Ventura. Since then, the franchise has gone on to have two full sequels, a recent 2018 reboot titled ‘The Predator’, a crossover movie series titled ‘Alien vs Predator’, comics, books, board games, action figures and numerous video games starting out with the 1987 side-scrolling action game ‘Predator’.
However, the most recent mainline game in the Predator series of video games is 2005’s action video game ‘Predator: Concrete Jungle’. While the Predator has since made appearances in several other games since then, there has been no subsequent games in the franchise over the past fifteen years.
However, that is about to change fairly soon in the coming months, thanks to video game development Illfonic and Sony Interactive Entertainment. Read to find out everything we know about the upcoming game ‘Predator: Hunting Grounds’.
Predator: Hunting Grounds Gameplay: What to Expect?
‘Predator: Hunting Grounds’ is an asymmetric multiplayer game that pits four elite special operatives against a single predator in a vast open level. The game is presented from a dual perspective – the special forces operative player default which offers a first-person view, whereas the Predator appears from a third-person view. Most matches will take place in a jungle setting with the special operatives being tasked with surviving the Predator (or maybe even killing it) while the Predator hunts them down systematically.
The webpage for the game describes it as follows:
“Predator: Hunting Grounds is an immersive asymmetrical shooter set in the jungles of South America, where the Predator stalks the most challenging prey.
Play as a member of an elite Fireteam and complete paramilitary operations before the Predator finds you. Or, play as the Predator to hunt the most worthy prey, choosing from an array of deadly alien tech to collect your trophies, one by one.”
The special operative characters are divided into distinct classes, each with different proficiencies and deficiencies. You can also choose your character’s loadout from a variety of weapons and gear on offer. However, no matter how well you are decked out, a single operative will always be at a severe disadvantage against the Predator, but all four of them working together is a bit too much to handle even for the merciless killing machine that is the Predator. To aid them in their desperate mission, the special operatives are also equipped with several throwables as well as health syringes.
Nevertheless, the main focus in ‘Predator: Hunting Grounds’ is the Predator, and the customization options reflect that. Besides choosing your Predator’s gender, you can choose from four distinct Predator classes as well, namely Scout Class, Hunter Class, and the Berserker Class.
You can also arm your Predator with a variety of iconic Predator weaponry including the armor-penetrating Plasma Caster, brutal Wrist Blades, the Captain America-esque Smart Disc and the fearsome Yautja Bow. Besides this veritable arsenal, the Predator can also camouflage itself to become undetectable for a limited period of time with the added benefit of super-vision.
Once a match begins, the Predator is tasked with killing the special operatives by ripping out their spines, just like the original movie while the special operatives are tasked with surviving and escaping on a chopper, also just like the original movie.
‘Predator: Hunting Grounds’ is being developed on the Unreal Engine 4 platform.
Predator Hunting Ground Developers: Who Are the People Behind the Game?
‘Predator: Hunting Grounds’ is being developed by Colorado-based video game development studio Illfonic and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The studio was founded by Charles Brungardt and Kedhrin Gonzales with Raphael Saadiq in 2007.
Illfonic is best known for games such as the FPS (First Person Shooter) game ‘Nexuiz’, multiplayer zombie shooter ‘Dead Alliance’ and the asymmetric multiplayer survival horror game ‘Friday the 13th: The Game’. The latter game, in particular, is very similar in premise to the upcoming ‘Predator: Hunting Grounds’. Illfonic’s experience with ‘Friday the 13th: The Game’ is surely a good sign for the future of ‘Predator: Hunting Grounds’.
Illfonic has also been working closely with the license holder, 20th Century Fox, to develop the new title and everything in ‘Predator: Hunting Grounds’ is set to become franchise canon.
Predator: Hunting Grounds Release Date: When and Where Can I Play It?
‘Predator: Hunting Grounds’ is set to release on April 24, 2020. The game will be exclusive to the PlayStation 4 as well as PC. Considering the fact that Sony Interactive Entertainment is publishing the title, it is highly unlikely the game will make its way to other platforms anytime soon.
Predator: Hunting Grounds Trailer:
You can watch the trailer for ‘Predator: Hunting Grounds’ right here.
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