
Sorry to continue with the doom and gloom, but we've come across a bunch of rumours related to the upcoming Perfect Dark reboot that sadly paint a negative picture of the game's development up until this point.
This started with Jeff Grubb over at Giant Bomb, who stated yesterday that based on what he's heard, the game has been in a rough state for years and it still sounds like it's in a "very" rough state. Here's a quote:
"I've been hearing more and more.. been hearing for years that Perfect Dark is in a rough state, sounds like it's in a very rough state. And it doesn't sound like it's really come together in any way since then (since it was first announced) and like Crystal Dynamics coming on board to come help on that.."
Known leaker shinobi602 also appeared to suggest that Grubb's comments "line up" with what he's heard, and VG247's Alex Donaldson revealed that he could share some "crazy stories" about the game's development if he wanted to:
Obviously these are all just rumours and we don't know for sure what's going on at Xbox in regards to the Perfect Dark reboot right now. For what it's worth, Xbox's Matt Booty mentioned last summer that he'd played builds of the game and was "very excited" for people to check it out for themselves, but it sounds like that won't be anytime soon.
There was also an IGN report last year that claimed Perfect Dark wouldn't release until at least 2025 due to years of struggles, with the outlet mentioning that the game had seen "roadblock after roadblock" and it was still in pre-production as of mid-2023.
What are your thoughts on these Perfect Dark issues at Xbox? Let us know in the comments.
[source youtube.com, via reddit.com]
Comments 38
With all the news the last few days, NOTHING is going smoothly at Xbox. I'd honestly be worried for the future of the Xbox division at this point if I was an Xbox only gamer. It's a disaster over there.
And yet everyone assured me that consolidation was good for competition and the industry as a whole. I can safely speculate that if Xbox attempt to acquire any other big publishers or developers they'll be met with even more scrutiny from the CMA and FTC.
I said it then that they can't even handle the studios they already have. And it's starting to show.
Microsoft really don’t seem capable of making games these days.
The Series X/S generation has been almost a complete waste of time so far.
No one produces more vaporware than Microsoft
I said last year they should never have announced this game since it wasn't even in the concept phase and the teaser was made by people who weren't even set to be working on the project. Since then it seems progress has been nearly non existent yet they continue to be funded over studios that actually produce content and good stuff at that. If it ever comes out then it has better be a masterpiece because you would hope the higher ups have seen something to continue funding.
Just a PSA: if you haven’t purchased Hi-Fi Rush yet, I would soon bc there’s a high chance MS will delist the game from storefronts once the rights to the licensed music are up.
@PassePartout even for developers it would be bad if it’s just Sony.
If Sony was alone in the High end console space they could easily, outside of ongoing contracts, up their PSN store share from 30/70 to 40/60 if they wanted to. The whole thing would crumble. Xbox needs to fix up for the customers, for their staff, and for the industry as a whole.
That 40/60 would even hit Microsoft as a third party publisher but they would have no choice.
Probably will never see the game if it's struggling that much. Never heard a good word about it and didn't EverWild have the same problem in development hell. Matt Booty has been absolutely useless for years and needs to go as he clearly can't manage or help these studios.
Really should have kept Tango that actually was capable of getting games out that people like and want to play.
They could have cut studios like this instead if they had to cut costs but really shouldn't buy or create studios just shut down.
@PassePartout
Who said anything about it being my wish?
@jFug
Good point. Fair shout.
GADG3Tx87 wrote:
I can assure you it wasn't "everyone".
But yes it's a bummer what is happening. One of the few possible good outcomes from all this consolidation was a hope that studios like Arkane & Tango would be allowed to just cook without worrying about the bills as much. We dared to dream what an immersive sim fully funded by Microsoft could be like... yet none of that has come to pass, in fact it's been much worse for these studios. Sad times.
It was a baffling decision not to acquire Crystal Dynamics when they were on sale, considering that Crystal Dynamics came to The Initiative's rescue. The problem with The Initiative is that it was founded without any kind of hierarchy and the artists there have been arguing since 2018.
I'll only judge this game and its so called "doomed" state,when I see footage for myself.
In the meantime, I'll boot up some awesome games I own on the trusty Xbox and enjoy gaming.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: someday they're going to make a documentary about the incredible level of dysfunction at Xbox. This company literally can't EVER get a game out on time and in good shape unless it's Playground Games. I guess I should be quiet before Microsoft shuts them down, too...
Me thinks Microsoft need to re-group and focus and learn about studios and game development management, as it’s seems they haven’t a clue over the last 2 years or so.
This generation so far along with other stuff, gone much worse that I ever could have thought.
When series x released I thought here we go back to the xbox360 days. How excited and wrong I was.
What a waste of time and money.
Piss poor display of micro management.
Sounds like XBOX’s strategy of not monitoring teams and letting them do whatever they want… causes people not to work efficiently! What do you know! Xbox just can’t avoid the negative news right now and it’s just sad.
@OldGamer999 "When series x released I thought here we go back to the xbox360 days. How excited and wrong I was."
same for me. the xbox series life plays out like a bad horror movie.
i really wish the industry would go back to 360 graphics/tek cause todays devs can't seem to handle modern video game tek.
@Altaria_97 I have been saying that for years now. The hands-off strategy only works if the team is small, responsible, inspired and focused, that is, less than 1% of the total.
It was clear from the initial announcement this game will never actually get made and published. Or at least not in a good/hit way.
MS starting a "super group" dev studio was a first hint they have no idea what they are doing, as anybody who managed a team in their life can tell you there is years of data and behavioral science evidencing they DO NOT WORK!
I literally completely forgot about this game....I thought it was a given it wasn't going swimmingly years ago
Who really wanted this game anyway? When they first revealed the game and the supposed superstar dev team behind it I thought why? Why make another Perfect Dark instead of something new and original, especially with the talent. Since then it’s become a laughing stock as usual with devs leaving and no sign of a game. This could be their next Redfall.
You'd think as "worse case" this would just be a hi-tech reskin of Tomb Raider Reboot trilogy.
Like everyone else I just don't understand how things can be so bad at XB.
Removed - unconstructive feedback
Get an Xbox AAA game out the door to critical acclaim challenge: impossible
It's been an open secret for some time that this game is having a lot behind-the-scenes struggles. Which drives me mad, I'd love another PZ.
Never should have announced it the way they did. Better to sit on it until the game is at least started.
Not that I care much ofter yesterday's bombshells. I'm so done with my Xbox. Sad they have all the Rare licences they aren't using.
@GADG3Tx87 If MS didn't buy those studios, there were not many other or better options? Embracer, anyone? Google? Bethesda and ABK were looking to be sold. They would have closed studios and enacted layoffs, perhaps sooner and on a grander scale. Unfortunately, the bail out didn't go the way we all wanted. I don't have all the information, regardless, I think they should have kept Tango.
The Perfect Dark situation (if these rumors are true) is just baffling. First, they had too many studio heads and visionaries; seems like the picked one. Then they brought in Crystal Dynamics. Great — they released out 3 Tomb Raider games in 4-5 years. So why can't the make & release SOMETHING?
I know game development isn't easy (believe me, I tried and hated it), but FPS genre has been around forever - heck, Microsoft even owns the developer that defined the genre as well that company that originally developed the Perfect Dark franchise - how "troubled" could development possible be when you have the best resources possible for this kind of game?!
I think the problem is that Microsoft lets people run with ideas to the point that it lets Scoop Creep settle in a little too much. I also think there isn't as much collaboration as there should be among Microsoft Studios.
I get that all the studios have their own games to work on, but they should be able to share technology, lessons learned, etc. to help other studios, at the very least.
@jFug I’m gonna buy it on PS5 just out of spite (and Dualsense features tbh).
BREAKING:
Sony buys Xbox brand....
@GamingFan4Lyf Whatever they're doing, they need to try something different. With the money and talent at Xbox's studios, the fact they can't get anything right is just sad and embarrassing.
I guess that’s what happens when you create a ‘AAAA studio’, fill it full of industry leaders and icons that have to work together and call yourself ‘The Initiative’..
@abe_hikura The original Perfect Dark was just a reskin of GoldenEye with futuristic weapons and gadgets, so a reskin of the Tomb Raider games with some fun spy tech would be a simple and effective concept, IMHO (and was what I was hoping for).
Games like this and Metroid Prime 4 illustrate the dangers of announcing games too early in development.
@TommyNL Well, we’re almost mid way through the year and MS has published more releases on Sony consoles than they have on the Xbox this year, never mind the Fallout updates seemed to be better on Sony PS too.
In all honestly, if a developer says there game is awesome (or similar adjective) then I tend to let that was over me, as I always wait for the game to either be in my hands, or the hands of trusted reviewers rather than listen to what a developer has to say about it. The only exception to that is probably Larian, in whom I have utter faith.
Lets be honest, when is a developers, or in this case the likes of Matt Booty, ever going to say, "I've played the game and it runs like a turd!"? It's just not going to happen. They are always going to hype up their products to instil some interest...
Not really surprised. Hopefully we see it at the showcase.
@PassePartout Xbox is doing such a horrendous job this gen, its like Sony is alone. Xbox can f*** off tomorrow and it won't change anything.
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