When Microsoft laid off an astonishing 9,000 people in July, the long-awaited Perfect Dark reboot was among the casualties. The main studio working on it—The Initiative—was shuttered, but co-developers Crystal Dynamics tried to salvage the project by cutting a publishing deal with Take-Two. The deal never eventuated because Take-Two and Microsoft couldn’t agree on who would retain ownership of the Perfect Dark franchise.
Nevertheless, it looks like Take-Two did get something out of those discussions: former The Initiative boss Darrell Gallagher and Perfect Dark director Brian Horton will found a new 2K Games studio. Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier announced as much today, before Gallagher confirmed on LinkedIn.
“I’m excited to share that I will be joining 2K as SVP, Studio Head, where I’ll be building a new studio and leading an ambitious opportunity unlike anything I’ve taken on before,” he wrote. “I’ve spent my career believing in what’s possible when great people come together with a bold vision. I can’t wait to get started with the exceptional team at 2K!”
Gallagher founded The Initiative in 2018, and the studio’s sole known project was the aborted Perfect Dark reboot. Before joining the Xbox Game Studios brood, he worked with Activision, Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics.
Brian Horton also confirmed the new 2K Games studio, albeit in fewer words, with the title of Vice-President Head of Creative. Horton has worked with a huge range of studios including Crystal Dynamics (dating before its collaboration with The Initiative) Insomniac Games, Infinity Ward and more.
While the new 2K Games project will almost certainly not be a Perfect Dark game, it’ll be interesting to see if it ends up resembling one. If it does, that couldn’t be a bad thing: Ted Litchfield absolutely loved what he saw of the reboot in 2024, making Microsoft’s unceremonious cancellation all the more painful.
In light of July’s catastrophic layoffs, Xbox boss Phil Spencer somehow mustered the courage to assert that Microsoft’s gaming business has “never looked stronger”.
