Sleeping Dogs 2011 Prototype Restored And Made Playable

A Sleeping Dogs Prototype From 2011 Has Been Uncovered, And You Can Actually Play It Published Aug 9, 2026, 1:52 PM EDT George is the Lead News Editor for TheGamer, and has been working in the industry since 2021 after graduating from the University of South Wales with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. He has also previously written for RPG Site, WhatCulture, and PlayStation Lifestyle. George is an expert on platformers, action games, and fighters, but tends to play as many releases as possible. This hands-on experience lets him dive into gaming communities and follow the latest trends. Some of the games George has extensively covered first-hand include Dead Rising, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, Assassin's Creed Shadows, and Ninja Gaiden 4. Sign in to your TheGamer account A vastly different prototype build of Sleeping Dogs from 2011 has been recovered from an Eidos Interactive developer kit and made playable. One of the most frustrating things about the gaming industry (and trust me, there are many) is how many excellent games don’t get the sequel that everyone is dying to see. From Bully and Sunset Overdrive to Stranglehold and Brutal Legend, the list of games that should have had a follow-up is depressingly long, but there’s one game that stands above the rest. I am, of course, talking about Sleeping Dogs, which many consider to be one of the best open-world games of all time thanks to its brutal combat, unique map, and gripping story. Sleeping Dogs had quite the storied development before its launch in 2012, and you can now see that for yourself with a playable prototype build. An Early Development Build Of Sleeping Dogs Has Been Unearthed It’s Already Playable If You Want To See The Origins Of A Classic For those who don’t know the surprisingly complicated history of Sleeping Dogs, it originally started out as True Crime: Hong Kong, a new entry in another underappreciated series that could do with a new game. After that version of the game was cancelled by Activision, Square Enix stepped in and gave us the Sleeping Dogs that we all know and love. Now, 14 years after launch, we can see that unique interim position in its full development glory. YouTuber GrandTheftAero recently shared a video diving into the newly uncovered build of Sleeping Dogs from 2011, which was recently found on an Eidos Interactive dev kit and restored. Interestingly, this version of the game is actually called Orange Lotus instead of Sleeping Dogs. The prototype version of Sleeping Dogs is clearly from fairly late into the game’s development as, despite a bunch of unfinished environments and placeholder cutscenes and dialogue, it goes all the way up to the end of the game. The gameplay is mostly unchanged from the final game, and just missing a lot of polish. Perhaps the best part about the whole situation is that the Sleeping Dogs prototype hasn’t just been detailed in GrandTheftAero’s lengthy video. The files for the game have been released alongside the video, meaning anyone who wants to check out this early version of a true gem can experience it for themselves right now. Sleeping Dogs Released August 14, 2012 ESRB Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs Developer(s) United Front Games Publisher(s) Square Enix Genre(s) Open-World, Action