Perfect Dark - Microsoft Studios, The Initiative

[dyne]

Originally Posted by QuasidodoJr

This definitely seems like an upper management decision at Microsoft, and not a decision that the Xbox division would make on their own.

A lot since the two acquisitions smells like higher ups at Microsoft are putting the screws to the Xbox division. To me it seems like there's two camps (kind of like when the first console launched). Those that really do care about the console business and are legitimately trying, albeit with their hands tied, to make the most of it. And then the higher echelon at Microsoft proper that just want to see the money roll in from the acquisitions, hardware be damned.

You can kinda tell that Phil was getting pretty squirmy when asked direct questions anymore. You know there's the corporate answer and then there's the truth and I think that's why Sarah Bond is put in front of the camera these days.

[dyne]

https://www.purexbox.com/news/2025/0...ct-dark-reboot

Last week, we reported how one of the teams behind Xbox's now-cancelled Perfect Dark reboot, Crystal Dynamics, had suffered job losses as a result of "evolving business conditions", and now a new report from Bloomberg has shed a bit more light on what's been happening - both at the studio and with the game itself in recent months.

The outlet says that the studio "was forced to cut staff and fully abandon the game" last week, despite its developers spending the past couple of months trying to find a new funding partner to keep the title alive.

Notably, Take-Two is reported to have been interested in buying it, but couldn't come to terms on a deal:

"...publisher Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. would purchase the game from Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox, which owned the rights. Take-Two would then fund and publish the game."

The game needed another $80/90m spending on it.

The reason this didn't go through is apparently because of disagreements surrounding the "long-term ownership" of the Perfect Dark franchise, according to sources who have been speaking to Bloomberg anonymously.

Don't forget that Xbox has done a deal along these lines before though - we notably saw it with Hi-Fi RUSH when Tango Gameworks was closed down and then revived by Krafton - so it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

[heyadol]

Originally Posted by dyne

[Show spoiler]https://www.purexbox.com/news/2025/0...ct-dark-reboot

Last week, we reported how one of the teams behind Xbox's now-cancelled Perfect Dark reboot, Crystal Dynamics, had suffered job losses as a result of "evolving business conditions", and now a new report from Bloomberg has shed a bit more light on what's been happening - both at the studio and with the game itself in recent months.

The outlet says that the studio "was forced to cut staff and fully abandon the game" last week, despite its developers spending the past couple of months trying to find a new funding partner to keep the title alive.

Notably, Take-Two is reported to have been interested in buying it, but couldn't come to terms on a deal:



The reason this didn't go through is apparently because of disagreements surrounding the "long-term ownership" of the Perfect Dark franchise, according to sources who have been speaking to Bloomberg anonymously.

Don't forget that Xbox has done a deal along these lines before though - we notably saw it with Hi-Fi RUSH when Tango Gameworks was closed down and then revived by Krafton - so it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

I wonder how that all works. Hi-Fi Rush still says Bethesda on store pages and in game, no Krafton logo. Same for Sunset Overdrive, SIE owns the IP but the game still says Xbox Game Studios on store pages and in game, no Sony anywhere.

Anyway, it would be interesting if those involved can work out a deal to finish the game.