Microsoft Confirms Cancellation Of Everwild, Perfect Dark Reboot & Closes The Initiative
Xbox Game Studios executive Matt Booty has officially confirmed that Everwild has been cancelled following reports earlier this week, and also revealed that The Initiative has been shuttered and its Perfect Dark reboot shelved as a result.
Booty confirmed the details in an email sent to staff, which was obtained by Windows Central. You can read the full email below. As previously reported, Microsoft has laid off a number of staff across the company that may affect as much as 4% of its entire workforce.
Following Phil’s note, I want to share more about the changes to the Studios business units.
We have made the decision to stop development of Perfect Dark and Everwild as well as wind down several unannounced projects across our portfolio. As part of this, we are closing one of our studios, The Initiative. These decisions, along with other changes across our teams, reflect a broader effort to adjust priorities and focus resources to set up our teams for greater success within a changing industry landscape. We did not make these choices lightly, as each project and team represent years of effort, imagination, and commitment.
Related Content – Upcoming PS5 Games 2025: The Best PS5 Games Coming Soon
Our overall portfolio strategy is unchanged: build games that excite our players, continue to grow our biggest franchises, and create new stories, worlds, and characters. We have more than 40 projects in active development, continued momentum on titles shipping this fall, and a strong slate headed into 2026.
For those directly affected, we are working closely with HR and studio leadership to provide support, including severance, career transition assistance, and where possible, opportunities to explore roles on other teams.
To everyone across our studios: thank you. Your creativity and resilience continue to define who we are. I believe in the strength of our teams and the direction we’re taking on the path ahead.” — Matt Booty, Xbox Game Studios
The Initiative was established in 2018 and was co-developing the Perfect Dark reboot alongside Crystal Dynamics, and was set to be directed by Brian Horton, previously of Insomniac Games. Perfect Dark was set to reinvigorate the franchise by injecting modern gameplay mechanics and following a fresh narrative, with players controlling agent Joanna Dark in a near-futuristic setting where mega-corporations mask dangerous secrets.
[Source – Windows Central]
