When developer Human Head took the wraps off Prey 2 earlier this year it revealed many changes. One of the biggest of these was the apparent abandonment of Tommy, the native American protagonist the player controlled in the first game. And though the designers confirmed we'd still see him in the new game in our E3 Prey 2 preview, he'd been replaced as the main character in Prey 2 by Killian Samuels. He's a lawman who's become a bounty hunter on the planet Exodus, halfway across the galaxy from Earth. But where does that leave Tommy?

Not only is Tommy on Exodus as well, he has an important part to play there. In a recent preview interview with IGN, Prey 2 project lead Chris Rhinehart says, "He's integral to the story and events on Exodus." He's not just window dressing, either, evidently. "One of the big things is, the unique abilities that Tommy has, specifically sprit walk and death walk, are integral to his role and how he actually fits into the story," explained Rhinehart.

Rhinehart said that the Tommy was always part of the plans; they just wanted to hold that back as a surprise. They also wanted to make Prey 2 a game that expands on the universe they've created. "New character, different mechanics, new visuals, but Tommy is still a critical character," said Rhinehart. Whether that last part means we'll get to play as Tommy in the game, perhaps as a little change of pace here and there, is the next bit question about his future in the series.