Highlights
- The development of Xbox’s Perfect Dark is reportedly in turmoil, with staff departures and uncertainty about core game mechanics.
- Industry insiders like Jeff Grubb and Shinobi602 have corroborated reports of the game’s troubled development state.
- With rumors of a “very rough state,” the future of Perfect Dark’s modern reimagining remains uncertain.
According to reports from several insiders, the development of Xbox first-party game Perfect Dark is facing a lot of turmoil. Announced at the 2020 Game Awards by brand-new Xbox team The Initiative, the game promised a modern reimagining of Rare’s Perfect Dark series, while retaining its hallmark blend of action, espionage, and sci-fi elements.
The Initiative is a high-caliber team that was started by Microsoft in 2018. With veteran developers from studios like Naughty Dog, Sony Santa Monica, Infinity Ward, BioWare, and more, as well as claims of having the “freedom to explore and try new things,” expectations for the then-rumored Perfect Dark game from The Initiative ran high. After the studio made the rumors official in 2020, it went radio silent. In 2021, it was announced that Crystal Dynamics would co-develop Perfect Dark with The Initiative due to rampant staff departures, and over three years since its official reveal, the bad news keeps piling on.
Perfect Dark Reboot’s Trailer Was Made Before Any Game Mechanics Were Decided
The Initiative confirms that the Perfect Dark reboot announcement trailer was shared before core game mechanics had been decided.
Credible industry insider Jeff Grubb reported on the Giant Bomb Podcast that after the fallout of Xbox’s recent closure of four studios, he heard that Perfect Dark is in a “very rough state,” and that bringing in Crystal Dynamics to help with the project hasn’t benefited its development by much. Moreover, Perfect Dark allegedly featured first-person gameplay, but Grubb claims that the developers are unsure if that’s the direction they want to take the game in. Insider Shinobi602 corroborated the claims on ResetEra as well, stating that it lines up with what they heard.
More Reports about Perfect Dark’s Messy Development Pour In
RPG Site owner Alex Donaldson also chimed in, claiming that they’ve heard “crazy stories” about Perfect Dark‘s development, and likened the team’s efforts to pushing “a boulder up a steep hill.” Lastly, Did You Know Gaming’s Liam Robertson asserted that the development of the game was “a future video in the making” and “a big, protracted mess.” The reports aren’t difficult to believe, as the game has not been shown in any capacity since the CGI trailer in 2020, and neither The Initiative nor Xbox have commented on Perfect Dark‘s progress since 2022.
The reports of the Perfect Dark reboot’s troubled development are a shame to hear, even more so considering the top-class talent behind it, and the potential for a cutting-edge return for the long-dormant franchise. If the rumors are accurate, Perfect Dark might be years away from another meaningful showing, let alone its launch. On a gloomier note, the project could be axed altogether, as Microsoft appears to be getting more stringent with IP investment, according to the recent internal email from Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty that announced the closure of four Bethesda studios.
Perfect Dark
- Released
- May 22, 2000
- Publisher(s)
- Rare , Nintendo , Xbox Game Studios
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
