Get to the chopper, because Predator: Hunting Grounds has just been announced!

The Predator, cinema’s best boogeyman with which to hunt down Arnold Schwarzenegger and convince to get to dah choppah! One of the most iconic monsters to ever grace the silver screen, the idea of being hunted by a roided-out alien on safari has always made for good entertainment. It saw at least three decent films made (Predator 1, Predator 2 and the vastly underrated Predators), while it also saw the release last year of…The Predator. Hoo boy, what a mess that film was. Let’s all pretend it’s a failed Kickstarter project, alright? Alright.

When it comes to video games, the Predator has had an entirely okay track record. The Aliens Vs. Predator games from Rebellion and SEGA were fan service delights and Capcom’s arcade romp that allowed you to mow through hordes of Xenomorphs is a treasure that I threw way too many tokens into. Next year, a new take on the Yautja menace is popping up, in the guise of a familiar genre that kind of feels perfect for the property.

Here’s the first trailer for Predator: Hunting Grounds which shows absolutely zero gameplay. None, zilch, nada but hey at least the foliage looks nice:

So what’s the actual gameplay going to be like? According to IllFonic CEO Charles Brungardt (the team behind Hunting Grounds), you can expect a game that will require you to…evolve over time. “We’re still pretty early in development – the game is due out next year – but I can give you some initial details about this competitive online multiplayer experience,” Brungardt wrote on the PS Blog.

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For starters, we’re big fans of asymmetrical multiplayer experiences, and we’re building off our past successes in a whole new way with Predator: Hunting Grounds. One group of players will control members of an elite Fireteam who pack state-of-the-art conventional firepower, from shotguns and SMGs to sniper rifles and more.

Meanwhile, one player will control the Predator: a stealthy, acrobatic killing machine bristling with exotic alien technology such as the infamous Plasmacaster. As the Fireteam attempt to carry out paramilitary missions – annihilating bad guys and recovering important items – the Predator will be closing in, using its advanced vision mode to track and ambush its prey.

Creating an immersive world for the Predator universe has been so rewarding for our team. We’re massive fans of this IP, and it’s made us closely examine every aspect of the game to be certain we are staying true to the world. Fox has been an incredible part of this process. Our motto at IllFonic is “Gameplay over everything” and we believe that will be evident the moment players enter the hunting grounds. There will be surprises in store for everyone when the game launches next year.

Personally, I’m hoping that Hunting Grounds will include various skins for the Predator. Like a Neon Lobster skin, just like the one that Jean Claude Van Damme wore before he realised how silly it was and decided to ditch the project entirely:

No, your priorities aren’t in order.

Last Updated: May 10, 2019