Former executives of the canceled Perfect Dark are creating a new studio under Take-Two’s wing
By ForGeeks
The relaunch of Perfect Dark was being developed by California-based studio The Initiative until July of this year, when the project was canceled. Shortly thereafter, The Initiative was shut down as part of massive layoffs at Microsoft.
The game was a remake of the classic spy shooter from Rare Studios. It was announced in 2020 and revealed at the Xbox Summer Showcase last summer, but development on the project was later halted.
According to Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier, two key members of Perfect Dark’s development team have moved to GTA 6 publisher — Take-Two to form a new studio. Darrell Gallagher, the former head of The Initiative, and Brian Horton, the project’s creative director, have already joined the company.
According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, the two key members of Perfect Dark’s development team have already joined the company.
No word yet on where the new team will be based, what it will be called or what it will be working on.
This information comes shortly after talks to bring the canceled Perfect Dark under Take-Two’s wing became public. According to Bloomberg, the company had been in discussions with Microsoft and Embracer about funding and publishing support for the game, but the deal fell through due to disagreements over the long-term rights to the Perfect Dark brand.
Microsoft confirmed sweeping layoffs over the summer — various reports say their effect was to lay off about 4 percent of the company’s workforce, or about 9,100 people, including employees in the gaming division.
At the same time as Perfect Dark, Everwild — a new long-term development from Rare Studios — was canceled.
