I finished up my playthrough of the Prototype games today and it has me curious about why they are not on Game Pass. Even though…
Why Prototype Isn’t on Game Pass Yet – And Why 2026 Might Finally Change That
Read More
Prototype is an open-world action-adventure franchise developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Activision, spanning two entries released in 2009 and 2012. The games follow shape-shifting protagonists in a Manhattan under military quarantine, with unrestricted movement across the city’s buildings and streets and a combat system built around morphing limbs into weapons and absorbing the abilities of consumed targets. Prototype in 2009 was a commercial success, Prototype 2 in 2012 was not, and Radical Entertainment’s subsequent layoffs effectively ended both the studio as an independent developer and the franchise’s active development. No new Prototype game is in development as of mid-2026.
Prototype released June 9, 2009, for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Activision. The game follows Alex Mercer, a virologist who wakes at a morgue in New York City with no memory and the ability to absorb biological material and mimic the forms, abilities, and memories of consumed targets. Manhattan is under military quarantine following an outbreak of a mutant virus, with three factions, the military, the infected, and Alex himself, creating a chaotic open-world environment in which the player can engage however they choose. Alex can run up buildings, glide across the city skyline, and turn his arms into blades, hammers, whips, and shields. The game drew explicit comparisons to Radical’s earlier Hulk: Ultimate Destruction in design philosophy, replacing Marvel’s green giant with an original character in a similar framework of maximum power fantasy across an urban open world.
Prototype and Prototype 2 were re-released together as the Prototype Biohazard Bundle for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in August 2015. On September 29, 2025, the original Prototype received a surprise update adding new names and sections to the game’s credits, including references to a Ubisoft Connect version and credits for Beenox and Iron Galaxy, both studios known for remastering work, sparking speculation about a potential remaster. As of mid-2026, no remaster has been announced.
Prototype 2 released April 24, 2012, for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with a PC version following July 2012. The game replaced Alex Mercer as protagonist with James Heller, a military sergeant who blames Mercer for the death of his wife and daughter in the outbreak and accepts a viral mutation to pursue his revenge. Prototype 2 received generally positive reviews but failed to reach the commercial performance Activision required. On June 28, 2012, Activision announced significant layoffs at Radical Entertainment, removing 89 of approximately 90 staff and ceasing the studio’s independent game development. Some employees remained to support other Activision projects. The Prototype franchise has been dormant since.
Rumors circulated in early 2026 that a new Prototype game was in development following the formation of New Radical Games, a studio founded by former Radical Entertainment employees. The connection proved misleading. New Radical Games updated their website to feature classic games the founders had worked on, including Prototype and The Simpsons: Hit and Run, and fans drew conclusions the studio did not confirm. Insider Jez Corden confirmed in April 2026 that no Prototype game is in development at Xbox or Activision, and that New Radical Games has no formal relationship with the intellectual property. The franchise rights remain with Microsoft following the Activision acquisition.
I finished up my playthrough of the Prototype games today and it has me curious about why they are not on Game Pass. Even though…