- “Well, Fitzroy -- you…you got a little cunning in ya, if nothing else. Dropped a couple grizzly traps 'round the lines up here. Idea was to…to bleed one of your couriers till he gave you up. 'Cept, of course, you're using kids now.”
- ― Preston E. Downs[src]
Preston E. Downs is a world-renowned hunter and tradesman in Columbia. When Zachary Comstock learned of his amazing hunting abilities, he hired him to hunt down the Vox Populi and more importantly, Daisy Fitzroy.
BioShock Infinite[]
- Main article: BioShock Infinite
Preston's Wild West stage show is set up in Constitution Square of Comstock Center Rooftops. When Booker happens upon this display, he finds a Voxophone detailing Comstock's remarks about Preston's scalp collection and how he hired the hunter to track down Fitzroy.
Preston set up camp in Soldier's Field hoping to flush out Fitzroy. Instead, he found Vox Populi members breaking into his room in the Hotel Soldiers Field to ambush him in his bed. The incident ended with the experienced hunter bringing the would-be assassins to their knees and executing them. He recorded their pleas and screams on a Voxophone and left it along with their corpses as a threatening message to Fitzroy.
After gathering information of where Daisy would be from the Vox members that he executed in Soldier's Field, Preston narrowed her location to Shantytown. All around town he set up large bear traps in the hope that he could trap a Vox courier that he could interrogate. He did, but it was a young Sioux boy who was sent as the courier. The fact that he accidentally maimed a kid and then had to cut his leg off was incredibly demoralizing to him. He later then started to look after the child he crippled and questioned if his hunt for Fitzroy was still worth it.
In the alternate universe where the Vox Populi had already started their revolution, Preston was also hired to hunt down and kill Booker DeWitt, who was an influential member of the Vox Populi. He found him in the Hall of Heroes, but did not kill Booker because of his ability to speak Sioux. Booker translated what the young crippled Sioux boy was saying, and it turned out to be what the Vox Populi was fighting for, opening Preston's eyes and causing him to change allegiance to the Vox. In his last recording, he proclaims his new objective to hunt down Comstock and claim his scalp.
Voxophones[]
BioShock Infinite[]
Gallery[]
Behind the Scenes[]
- Preston E. Downs' character model is also used for Scofield Sansmark, who even wears the same styled hat.
- Much of Preston's character is similar to Buffalo Bill who also toured around with his famous Wild West Show. He was denied an official spot in the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, but set up camp on its outskirts to great popularity.
- His role in the game also draw parallels to that of Diane McClintock. Both were a part of the upper class of their society until becoming aware of the plight of the common folk and joining the rebellion.
- Preston's Voxophone image is used as the face of the "Vox Anarchist" wanted poster.
- At the Bull House Impound, on a chalk board titled "The Vox Threat", Preston's Voxophone image can be seen with the red letters "Shot him dead!" written over it.
- The painting seen on Preston E. Down's stage is a real-world painting named Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way by Emanuel Leutze. The painting has been flipped and cut to focus on the center of the painting. The game files feature the full version of the painting.