Anubis Predator: The Ancient Egyptian God-Like Yautja

Anubis was an ancient Egyptian-themed Yautja introduced in Predator: Hunting Grounds as downloadable content alongside patch 3.2.0. Inspired by the Egyptian god of death, Anubis was described as a relentless hunter tied to death itself, with lore positioning him as the forebearer of Cleopatra Predator. His ornate armor, glowing gold details, and unique plasma weaponry made him one of the more visually striking Predators added to the game. Here is an overview of the Anubis Predator, including his lore, weapons, armor, and release in Predator: Hunting Grounds.

The Predator "Anubis"

Anubis released on February 13, 2025 as part of a premium downloadable content pack for Predator: Hunting Grounds. Before the official reveal, the character briefly appeared through an accidental Epic Games Store listing. IllFonic later officially announced the Predator alongside update 3.2.0 and released a cinematic trailer showing Anubis arriving at the jungle pyramid in his spacecraft. The character became the second major Egyptian-inspired hunter added to the game after Cleopatra. Although Predators worship warrior Gods, such as the Black Warrior, Anubis is not known to be one of them.

Lore and Background

IllFonic described Anubis as a legendary hunter whispered about throughout Yautja history. Rather than simply being associated with death, the lore described him as death personified, a Predator who foresaw every final breath before the hunt even began. His connection to Cleopatra established him as an ancient predecessor whose legacy continued through later Egyptian-themed hunters. This helped expand the game's growing lineup of themed Predators inspired by human mythology, historical warriors, and ancient civilizations. Like Cleopatra, Anubis used heavy Egyptian symbolism throughout his armor and presentation. His name was likely inspired by the ancient Egyptian deity Anubis, the jackal-headed god associated with death, embalming, tombs, and the afterlife. The Predator's helmet shape, glowing eyes, and gold-lined armor all reflected this funerary and divine imagery.

Armor and Appearance

Anubis wore ornate armor decorated with gold plating, ceremonial markings, and glowing accents. The armor design resembled a mixture of traditional Predator armor and ancient Egyptian ceremonial equipment. His bio-mask featured an elongated jackal-like shape inspired by depictions of Anubis from Egyptian mythology. Combined with his dark armor and glowing energy effects, the design gave the hunter a supernatural appearance compared to more traditional Yautja. The Predator also appeared physically larger and heavier than Cleopatra, emphasizing power and intimidation over agility. His visual theme fit alongside other culturally inspired hunters such as the Samurai Predator, Valkyrie Predator, and Nightstorm Predator.

Eye of Ra Weapon

The downloadable content pack also included early access to the Eye of Ra weapon, a special variant of the handheld plasma caster. The weapon was described as channeling the power of the sun itself and featured glowing golden energy effects matching Anubis' armor theme. Unlike the standard Predator plasma weapons, the Eye of Ra fired concentrated projectiles with less arc and faster travel speed. The weapon balanced this increased accuracy and projectile speed with several drawbacks. It fired more slowly than the regular handheld plasma caster and carried a smaller ammunition capacity. This made it more suited for careful precision shots instead of rapid sustained fire during close combat.

Predator: Hunting Grounds DLC & Update

Anubis launched alongside update 3.2.0 for Predator: Hunting Grounds. The patch addressed several technical issues affecting both the Fireteam and Predator gameplay experience. IllFonic fixed crashes occurring during the Mission Planning screen, corrected issues with NPC weapons appearing at their feet, and resolved bugs involving the Predator player card becoming stuck after players disconnected. The update also improved several maps and Predator mechanics. Backwater received collision fixes for missing rock surfaces, while Backwater, Excavation, and Headquarters all received improved Predkour navigation. On the Predator side, IllFonic fixed an issue where activating cloak during vision mode caused the cloaking animation to endlessly repeat.

Similar Egyptian-Inspired Predators

Anubis continued the Egyptian-inspired direction first established by Cleopatra in Predator: Hunting Grounds. While Cleopatra emphasized agility, traps, and regal styling, Anubis leaned more heavily into themes of death, divine judgment, and overwhelming presence. The two Predators shared visual similarities through their gold ornamentation, ceremonial armor, and mythological naming conventions. The addition of both hunters helped establish an unofficial Egyptian-themed group within the game's expanding Predator roster.

Conclusion

Anubis became one of the most visually distinct Predators added to Predator: Hunting Grounds. His ancient Egyptian-inspired armor, supernatural presentation, and Eye of Ra weapon helped separate him from more traditional Yautja hunters. By tying the character to Cleopatra and positioning him as a legendary figure associated with death itself, IllFonic expanded the mythological side of Predator lore within the game. Even among the many themed hunters in Predator: Hunting Grounds, Anubis stood out as one of the franchise's most striking Egyptian-inspired Yautja.

Tag Categories: Individual Predators | Predators From The Games | Predator Hunting Grounds Predators | Predator Lore