Prey 2 feeding on 360, PS3, PC

Duke Nukem Forever may be the undisputed champion as far as absurd release timelines go, but 3D Realms certainly had a competitor in another of its properties, Prey. First concocted by 3D Realms in the mid-'90s, the game was eventually given over to Human Head Studios, which along with 2K Games took it to the finish line in 2006. For its follow-up, Human Head has cut that development cycle in half.

Today, Bethesda Softworks announced that Prey 2 will arrive for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC in 2012. The Prey IP was acquired by Bethesda Softworks parent ZeniMax Media in mid-2009, and the publisher subsequently filed US trademark applications to use the property in a variety of mediums, ranging from video games to TV shows to comic books.

Bethesda did not indicate what gamers can expect from Prey 2, saying only that the game would be developed by Human Head and make use of an unspecified id Software engine--presumably the id Tech 5 engine powering the studio's own title, Rage. The publisher noted that first details for the game will arrive in the May issues of the Official Xbox Magazine and PlayStation: The Official Magazine.

Prey tells the story of Cherokee garage mechanic Tommy Hawk, who fights to defend Earth from an alien invasion with the aid of his Native American astral-projection powers. Much of the action takes place on board a gigantic alien vessel, with features such as gravity-defying walkways and interdimensional portals.

For more on the history of Prey, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.