Pre-release and unused content
Pre-release and unused content are components of a video game that, for whatever reason, are removed or altered before the game is released. Knowledge about pre-release elements usually comes from information released about a game by its creators before the game is complete or from data found within a game that is not used in the final product but may have been intended to be used at some point during development.
Pre-release and unused content definitions:
- Prototype (version) / early version / Pre(-)release (version) = A non-final version of a game or part of a game. Pre(-)release (version) is sometimes used to specifically mean an early version that is seen in pre-release materials.
- Pre(-)release material = Screenshots, videos, interviews, etc. depicting or describing a prototype version of the game or the game's development history.
- Unused = Describes content that is in the game data, but not used.
- Cut/scrapped = Describes content that was in a prototype version, but is absent in later builds. Also describes content that was planned to be or suggested to be in the game, but was never actually implemented.
- Beta = A near-final version of a game or other software that is used to test for bugs before the final release.
Pre-release elements should not be confused with unreleased media, entire games which never see release.
To some extent, this can apply to television shows and movies. For example, there were some early depictions of characters and deleted scenes found for the Super Mario Bros. film, which can be often found in the special features section of DVD and Blu-ray releases.
The full list of pre-release and unused content can be found here.
