In a bit of surprising news, Predator: Hunting Grounds is getting a second chance. Not only are the current versions on PC and PS4 getting renewed game updates in April, but PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions will be released later this year. New playable Predators were also hinted at in the announcement.
If you played Predator: Hunting Grounds when it first came out in 2020, you might recall that PlayStation originally published the game, so a jump to Xbox is unexpected. To accommodate for the transition to more players, developer Illfonic has taken over publishing duties in a partnership with 20th Century Studios. They will be supporting Predator’s breath of fresh air alongside their duties on the upcoming Killer Klowns From Outer Space: The Game and Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed.
Predator: Hunting Grounds fits a realm very similar to the rest of the Illfonic library. They specialize in asymmetrical games that involve one antagonistic character either hunting down or being hunted by a team of multiple players. They gained recognition for their work on the Friday the 13th Game before expanding into these other film franchises when Jason Voorhees’ rights issues put a halt to their development.
As of this writing, we do not have a firm release date for the next-gen versions of Predator: Hunting Grounds, but it is expected to come out in the later parts of 2024. Speaking speculatively, October would be a good date to aim for. There is no announcement on a potential upgrade from the PS4 to the PS5 version, but a new standard and deluxe edition have been teased. New Predators are expected to be added to the game this coming winter and next spring.