Initial SOMA concept

[PathOS]

It still was a "proof of concept", and while it clearly telegraphed the main themes of the game, the question still is valid as to how they moved away from that concept towards where they ended up with.

But I'd imagine the answer is complicated. Game design and development is all about iterations and changing things about. This concept trailer may have even been before they had settled on an actual setting and location of the game. Once they chose underwater than of course the visuals would need to change.

I guess the idea of actual brains being hooked up to machines was a bit too convoluted to work out, and they went with what they did in the final game.

But hey, maybe someone will make a custom story about that kind of subject matter? Certainly is a grand idea