The Stanley Prequel

Have you ever wondered what Stanley's life was like when he was happy?

No, of course not, that's a ridiculous question. But after the critical and commercial success of The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe fans were left wondering what was next? Surely they couldn't keep releasing the same game over and over again with a different coat of paint each time could they? No, the future of Stanley had to be something fresh, something just as daring and ground breaking as the original Stanley Parable was back in 2013. But where could things possibly go? With the new content added to The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe all the burning questions that the original 2013 release had left fans with had been answered, all the loose ends tied up, finally bringing a satisfying and definitive conclusion to The Stanley Parable.

But of course, the answer was so obvious. The only way to go forwards was to go backwards. And so, it is with much pleasure that I present to you: The Stanley Prequel! The Stanley Prequelble? Hmm... Maybe something flashier like The Stanley Parable: Origins! Well, we can figure out the name later, what's important is that The Stanley Prequel finally gives fans a chance to know what it's really like to be Stanley. Both the original Stanley Parable and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe start their stories at an extremely difficult time for Stanley, having just had his quiet peaceful life shattered as he faces the greatest uncertainty he's ever known. And although Stanley's life up to this point is portrayed as dull, lacking in any meaningful choices, and not fit to be a video game, this is an integral part of understanding Stanley as a character. For after all, how can we really know Stanley when we've ever only known him in a time of great distress? Without knowing what exactly it is that makes him happy?

And thus, The Stanley Prequel was born. Now it's very important to mention that while this is a prequel, much of the foreshadowing and character developments presented here can't be fully grasped without having at least played the original 2013 Stanley Parable or the new and updated Ultra Deluxe edition. For this reason it is recommended that you first purchase and play through The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe (out now on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S) so that you can fully appreciate all the subtle nuances of The Stanley Prequel.