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Help:Contents/Terminology/Prototype

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This is a sub-page of Help:Contents/Terminology.

So very stubbly.
This page is rather stubbly and could use some expansion.
Are you a bad enough dude to rescue this article?

A prototype is a version of a game from its development phase, which was typically (pre-release playable demos are an exception) not meant to be released.

Contrary to common internet belief, prototypes are often (though not always) not a "beta"; beta versions are when the game is mostly complete, but is lacking the finishing polish (unfixed bugs or glitches, unpolished translation, etc.). In this way, most prototypes released are alpha or pre-alpha versions, when the game is still under active development and several features are not finalized. All betas are prototypes, but not all prototypes are betas. 'Beta' is a hyponym, not a synonym, of 'prototype'.

Prototypes usually end up on the internet by game testers, reviewers, or developers either directly by using a backup device or releasing it freely. In other cases, it can happen indirectly by developers giving copies of builds to friends where they eventually end up on eBay or simply get dumped/released online. In some rare instances, prototypes end up being sold by pirates who mask it as the final version.

Prototypes are very interesting because they feature lots of content that was changed or removed in the final version without any trace. In many cases, they also feature debug modes of some kind.

Famous prototypes that were released include: