Precognition Is Half-Mermaid’s New Live-Action Sci-Fi Horror Game

Half-Mermaid has identified Project C as Precognition, a new live-action sci-fi horror adventure from Sam Barlow’s studio and filmmaker Brandon Cronenberg. The announcement confirms the mysterious project’s premise, creative partnership, and spring 2028 release window, while also revealing that Kinetic Publishing is backing the game.

What happened

Precognition follows Diana, a woman fitted with an experimental brain implant that gives her access to visions of the future. Players will investigate those visions, isolate important moments, and preserve them in Diana’s present-day memory. Those decisions are designed to alter how events eventually develop, making the player’s interpretation of the future central to the story.

The game continues Half-Mermaid’s interest in non-linear, live-action storytelling. Like Her Story, Telling Lies, and Immortality, it is built around filmed scenes rather than conventional fully animated gameplay. However, the studio is presenting Precognition as a more direct combination of mystery investigation and cause-and-effect storytelling.

Brandon Cronenberg is co-developing and writing the project alongside Half-Mermaid. His film credits include Antiviral, Possessor, and Infinity Pool. Precognition was announced as Project C in January 2024, one of two projects revealed by the studio. Project D remains undisclosed.

Why it matters

The collaboration brings together two creators whose work treats horror as a subjective experience. Cronenberg’s films frequently examine unstable perceptions and disturbing transformations, while Half-Mermaid’s games ask players to construct meaning from fragmented performances and evidence. Precognition appears positioned to merge those approaches instead of treating its live-action format as a simple presentation choice.

The central mechanic could also give the studio a new way to explore player agency. Rather than merely discovering a fixed sequence of scenes, players will decide which glimpses of the future deserve attention and how those memories influence later outcomes. That structure could make separate playthroughs feel substantially different, although Half-Mermaid has not yet detailed the full range of possible consequences.

The project’s publishing history has shifted since its first public appearance. It was previously associated with Blumhouse Games during Summer Game Fest 2024, but Kinetic Publishing, the publishing arm of Kinetic Games, has now taken on funding duties and presented the game during its August 12 showcase.

What to watch next

Precognition is scheduled for spring 2028 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and PC. Half-Mermaid has not announced a more specific launch date, price, or detailed gameplay footage in the supplied information.

The most important future reveal will be how the vision-and-memory system works in practice. The concept promises a story shaped by selective attention, but its success will depend on whether players can understand the relationship between their choices and the changing future without removing the mystery. More information about the cast, release timing, and Project D would also help clarify Half-Mermaid’s broader plans.

Key takeaways

• Precognition is the previously mysterious Project C from Half-Mermaid.
• It stars Diana, whose experimental implant provides visions of future events.
• The game uses live-action, non-linear storytelling shaped by player choices.
• Brandon Cronenberg is co-developing and writing the project with Sam Barlow’s studio.
• The planned release window is spring 2028 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and PC.

Release details

Expert View

Precognition is an unusually strong fit for Half-Mermaid because its premise makes player interpretation part of the fiction. Cronenberg’s involvement gives the project a credible horror identity, while Barlow’s established command of interactive film provides a clear foundation for the investigation mechanics. The biggest challenge will be turning abstract visions and branching consequences into choices that feel readable, tense, and genuinely personal.