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Bethesda, id Parent ZeniMax Acquires Prey License
by Chris Remo
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September 8, 2009
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ZeniMax Media, parent company of publisher Bethesda Softworks and newly-acquired developer id Software, now owns the Prey license, according to several trademark documents.
It was acquired from previous owner Radar Group, the IP incubator formed by 3D Realms veteran Scott Miller, which in turn acquired it from producer 3D Realms itself.
Prey was developed by Human Head Studios, overseen by 3D Realms, and published by 2K Games in 2006. Its sequel Prey 2 was soon mentioned, and last year confirmed as being developed by Human Head with Radar.
A United States Patent & Trademark Office abstract shows that the Prey property was transferred from 3D Realms to Radar in June of this year, then to ZeniMax mere weeks later.
It is possible ZeniMax's acquisition of the rights are in some way spurred by its id Software deal, as Prey was built on id's own id Tech 4 engine.
Now, as of last week according to the USPTO (spotted via Superannuation), ZeniMax has registered trademarks for Prey as relating to "motion picture films in the field of science fiction" in addition to computer games, video games, mobile games, novels, comic books, strategy guides, and "entertainment services."
The current state of the Human Head sequel project, including whether it is still under development for ZeniMax, is not known.
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I also have no doubt in them giving them the Bethesda treatment.
I expect this to not be the last acquisition by Bethesda this year.
Overall, good news :)