After over a decade of silence, Prototype might be pulling a shapeshift of its own—straight from forgotten IP to full-blown comeback. According to a report by Insider Gaming, a Reddit post (now deleted) by user Bigbyy claims a new entry in the viral open-world series is in development. And no, this isn’t just another fan dream fuelled by too much caffeine and nostalgia.

According to Bigbyy, they were recently invited to take part in a YouGov survey—not a playtest, mind you—that suspiciously hinted at a Prototype revival. The survey allegedly had all the hallmarks of something cooking in Activision’s lab: New York City? Check. Shapeshifting? Absolutely. Is Alex Mercer back in the black hoodie? Allegedly, yes. Players would once again be able to turn into other people to infiltrate secure areas—Hitman meets Resident Evil with fewer barcodes and more biomass.

Now, here’s the part where it gets properly murky: Insider Gaming reached out to Bigbyy, who spilt that while they were bound by an NDA (which they cheerfully ignored), the survey clearly indicated that these features were already planned for “upcoming games.” Not a pitch, not a prototype (ironically), but supposedly part of something already in motion. Whether that “something” is truly Prototype 3, or just a cleverly worded question meant to toy with fans’ fragile hopes, remains up in the air.

As Insider Gaming rightly notes, they’ve yet to independently verify the claim. So, until Activision pipes up or a trailer mysteriously lands online, best to keep a few grains of salt handy.

For those unfamiliar with the series: Prototype was the edgelord cousin of Infamous—more violent, more chaotic, and with a body count that would give Godzilla pause. But after Prototype 2 dropped in 2012 (with a PS4/Xbox One port in 2015), the franchise quietly disappeared. Activision chalked it up to underwhelming sales, which sadly led to layoffs at Radical Entertainment, the studio behind the madness.

Now, over a decade later, whispers of Alex Mercer’s return are infecting the internet once more. Whether it’s genuine or just wishful thinking dressed up in survey form, only time—and Activision’s PR department—will tell.