Xbox’s now-canceled Perfect Dark reboot had been intended to capitalize on a lack of upcoming “secret agent” genre games, such as new entries in the Metal Gear Solid or James Bond franchises.
Of course, new games in the Metal Gear Solid and James Bond series are now upon us, with Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater out now, and Hitman developer IO Interactive’s 007: First Light due next March.
The detail is one of many shared in a fresh MP1st report on Microsoft’s long-held plans to revive the Perfect Dark series. Sadly, the game’s development was ditched and Xbox studio The Initiative was shut down in July this year, as part of a devastating wave of Microsoft cuts.
According to internal development documentation, Microsoft’s creative vision for Perfect Dark was primarily inspired by the HBO series Westworld, while areas of the game such as the playable “vertical slice” shown publicly were part of the game’s “Season 1.”
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of episodic release plans for Perfect Dark. Back in 2023, IGN’s deep dive into the game’s troubled development suggested the project was still several years away from launching, and even then was leaning towards a narrative told episodically over time.
Other details from the report mention a key adrenaline system which would have allowed players to either heal, increase damage dealt or reduce incoming damage. The ability to focus and slow down time to dodge bullets was also being worked upon.
Earlier this month, IGN and Bloomberg both reported that a deal to save Perfect Dark from its canceled fate was nearly struck, with Microsoft in talks with Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two — until the deal fell through.
In July, a developer who worked on the Perfect Dark reboot addressed the claim that last year’s gameplay demo was “fake,” and said the glimpse was a vertical slice of the project running “in-engine.”
In a memo shared with affected staff regarding Xbox’s cuts, and the cancelation of both Perfect Dark and long-gestating Rare project Everwild, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer talked of “focusing on strategic growth areas” and added that “our platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger.”
“The success we’re seeing currently is based on tough decisions we’ve made previously,” Spencer said at the time. “We must make choices now for continued success in future years and a key part of that strategy is the discipline to prioritize the strongest opportunities.”
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
