Video playthrough of the first-person PS3 prototype of Until Dawn has been shared online.
Dawn was released on PlayStation 4 in August 2015, but when it was originally announced in August 2012, it was supposed to be a PS3 game played from a first-person perspective.
Now, the YouTube channel Digital Preservation has uploaded a four-hour video showing the entirety of a prototype version of Until Dawn from January 2013, which is running on PS3.
While the prototype features some of the final game’s cast, others were replaced with more well-known actors when the game was ported from PS3 to PS4.
In its early first-person form, Until Dawn was originally designed to be played exclusively with the PlayStation Move controller. Players used a flashlight to look at various points of interest.
“Developed exclusively for PlayStation 3 by Supermassive Games, Until Dawn will make you look at your Move Motion Controller in a totally different way, as it becomes your torch guiding you through the dark as you attempt to survive Until Dawn,” the game’s original press release read.
“Use your motion controller as a torch to light the shadows, tune radios, fire shotguns, solve puzzles and more,” it added. “Face your fears alone or take a cue from the on-screen cast, and pass your motion controller torch over to a friend.”
When the game was moved to PS4, the decision to make it a PlayStation Move exclusive was scrapped in favor of the DualShock 4 controller. Developer Supermassive Games also took inspiration from Sony‘s Heavy Rain and replaced the first-person perspective with something more cinematic.
A remake of Until Dawn, developed by UK studio Ballistic Moon, was released last year. A month before the remake, it was announced that Ballistic Moon had suffered major layoffs to “secure the future” of the studio.
“As the games industry continues to face complex challenges, we at Ballistic Moon are confronted with some difficult realities,” the studio said in a statement published on LinkedIn.
“It is with deep regret and a heavy heart that we must make the tough decision to significantly scale down our team to secure the future of our studio. This comes after our development of Until Dawn for PS5 and PC.”
A movie adaptation of Until Dawn will be released in cinemas on April 25. It will be directed by Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation director David F. Sandberg.
