Prey (2017) Motion Sickness: Why It Happens & What Helps
Prey shipped without a field of view slider, and the response was unusually tidy: Bethesda published the config workaround themselves, PC Gamer covered it, and beta patch 1.03 added a real FOV slider to the advanced options within weeks of launch, in May 2017. Motion blur never got a menu toggle, so one config line remains: r_motionblur = 0 in game.cfg. A clean story of a comfort fix that actually arrived. Checked September 2026.
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PC, PlayStation, Xbox · first-person · Partial settings · Player-reported motion-sickness risk: commonly reported by motion-sensitive players.
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Risk levels summarise what passengers and riders commonly report, not measured testing.
Key facts
- Prey (2017) runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox.
- The camera is first-person.
- Player reports place it in the moderate band for motion sickness.
- The game ships some comfort settings, but not a full set.
- 3 specific settings are listed on this page, starting with Field of view.
Why Prey (2017) can trigger motion sickness
Talos I is a space station of tight corridors and hub rooms you crisscross for dozens of hours, and the launch build's fixed view made every corner turn sweep a narrow frame. The complaints were immediate, which is presumably why the official workaround and then the patch came so fast. Post-patch, the game sits on the fixable side: view width is a slider, and the remaining config line handles blur. The zero-gravity exterior sections are the one part settings do not tame, since six-degrees-of-freedom drift removes your up and down, the same trigger the space games on this list share.
- The narrow fixed view of the launch build, before patch 1.03
- Motion blur with no menu toggle, config-only
- Zero-gravity exterior sections with no stable up
- Dense interiors where walls hug the camera
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Comfort settings in Prey (2017)
Prey (2017) ships some comfort settings, but not a full set.
| Setting | Where | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Field of view | Advanced options, added by beta patch 1.03 in May 2017 | Raise it from the default; players commonly discuss values well above the launch default of 85 via slider or config |
| Motion blur | game.cfg, the line r_motionblur = 0 | There is no menu toggle; the config line disables it cleanly and press guides documented it at launch |
| cl_hfov | Config alternative | Sets exact horizontal FOV values beyond slider steps, default 85. For players who want a specific number rather than a notch |
One guide explains these settings for every game: how field of view, motion blur, head bob and camera shake trigger motion sickness.
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What helps beyond the settings
- Set FOV and the blur line before the opening hours; the station tour is corridor-dense
- Anchor on the horizon line of rooms rather than your weapon during fast turns
- Take the zero-G exterior sections in short pieces, re-entering the station to reset your reference frame
- A drug-free sound-therapy app like Dizzout is designed to help once symptoms have started, through any headphones
The fixes people reach for once they step away from the screen are covered separately, with the trials attached: the remedy verdicts.
Frequently asked questions
Does Prey have an FOV slider?
Yes, since beta patch 1.03 in May 2017, which added a field of view slider to the advanced options. At launch there was none, and Bethesda published a config workaround that PC Gamer covered while the patch was being built. If a guide tells you Prey cannot change FOV, it is a launch-week guide.
How do I turn off motion blur in Prey?
With a config line, because the menus never got a toggle: set r_motionblur = 0 in game.cfg. The edit was documented by press and community threads at launch and still works. It is the one comfort change in Prey that stayed config-only after the FOV situation was fixed properly.
Why do the space walk sections still get me after the FOV fix?
Because they change the problem. Inside the station you move on a floor with a stable up; outside you drift in six degrees of freedom, and rotation misaligns your visual vertical from your felt one. Wider FOV does not restore an up direction. Short exposures with breaks back inside the station are the practical handling, same as the other zero-G games on this list.
Other game motion-sickness guides
Sources & further reading
- https://www.pcgamer.com/prey-does-not-have-an-fov-slider-but-bethesda-has-a-workaround/
- https://www.dsogaming.com/news/prey-beta-patch-1-03-available-adds-fov-slider/
- https://steamcommunity.com/app/480490/discussions/0/1327844097113774926/
- https://www.pcinvasion.com/change-fov-prey/
- https://steamcommunity.com/app/480490/discussions/0/3186861491226372270/
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Based on publicly reported player experiences and each game's documented settings, as of September 2026. Settings menus change with updates, so check your version. Game names are trademarks of their respective owners; Dizzout is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Motion-sickness sensitivity varies by person, so this is informational, not a game review or a substitute for a doctor's advice.