In this paper we examine the relationship between ethical gameplay and trophies in Arkane Studios’ Prey. Prey is relevant in this respect because it uses trophies to incentivize players to reflect on the ethical dimensions of their in-game choices, engaging in what Sicart calls “reflective play” (2010, p. 6). We look at two of these trophies and the criteria for obtaining them, exploring how Prey uses these meta-game rewards to incentivize player engagement with the game’s moral themes and dilemmas. This leads to an analysis of how trophies mediate the relationship between “playing well” and reflective play. The paper concludes with a more general discussion of trophies, how they are used in other games to facilitate reflective play, and some remarks regarding potential future research.
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