It was an exciting time back in 2018, with Microsoft kicking off a brand-new first-party studio. We didn’t know at the time what The Initiative was working on, but it generated plenty of hype over the talent joining its ranks. Fast forward a few years, and we learned that the debut project from this team would be the reboot of Perfect Dark.
That game had been in development for a while, and it seemed that the developers needed some extra help. We learned that Crystal Dynamics was partnered in to help bring Perfect Dark through the finish line. While some of us had hoped the game would appear during this past Xbox summer showcase, it unfortunately didn’t happen, and we now may know why.
It looks like the folks at The Initiative are finding themselves without a job. A new report from Insider Gaming has surfaced, suggesting that the studio was closed down. This comes during a new mass layoff at Microsoft, which has also affected the Xbox gaming division. According to the report, it appears the studio was closed down, the partnership with Crystal Dynamics ended, and the Perfect Dark reboot was outright cancelled.
Of course, we can expect to hear about many other projects and studios in the coming days. For instance, we learned that King and ZeniMax Media were hit with layoffs. Then, rumors suggested that Undead Labs and Rare were also targeted. We’ll just have to wait and see where we stand with the different video game projects and teams once the dust settles.
Then there was the big rumor that came out today on Phil Spencer. If true, we might see the CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, retire after the launch of the next-generation Xbox, with Sarah Bond taking over the reins as the new CEO.
