Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
half The Initiative core development team quit Perfect Dark at Microsoft Studios, Crystal Dynamics taking control with Darrell Gallagher

Reportedly About Half the Core Team of The Initiative Quit in the Past Year

Perfect Dark reboot developer The Initiative has apparently seen as much as half of its staff quit the company in the past year, according to VGC reporting. The tally adds up to around 34 people who have left, though the company has also hired roughly another dozen employees in the past year. The reasons for the departures are reportedly numerous but interconnected.

Recommended Videos

Chiefly, former Initiative developers told VGC that studio head Darrell Gallagher and game director Daniel Neuburger maintained a top-down hierarchy and held on to significant creative control. Incidentally, Neuburger also quit The Initiative last month though. Additionally, development of the Perfect Dark reboot has apparently been “painfully” sluggish, and former staff were apparently unanimously surprised at how patient Microsoft has been with The Initiative in finding its footing.

In September 2021, Microsoft announcedĀ Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics was becoming a co-developer on Perfect Dark. As VGC notes, Gallagher and Neuburger were previously studio head and game director respectively of Crystal Dynamics, and it is believed The Initiative partnered with the studio so that there would be more staff familiar with their development and leadership style. Nonetheless, there is speculation that the Perfect Dark reboot may currently be undergoing its own soft reboot right now, following all of these staffing changes.

However, in spite of how many staff seem to have quit The Initiative in the past year, Darrell Gallagher shared a positive and forward-looking message on the subject. Among other things, he stated, “In this journey, itā€™s not uncommon for there to be staffing changes, especially during a time of global upheaval over the last two years, and thereā€™s plenty more work in front of us to deliver a fantastic Perfect Dark experience to our players. We wish all our former colleagues the very best, and Iā€™m confident in the team we have in place, the new talent joining, and we canā€™t wait to share more with the fans.”

When all is said and done, the new Perfect Dark game might be spectacular. However, you shouldn’t expect it to arrive on Xbox Series X | S and PC anytime soon.


The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission.Ā Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of John Friscia
John Friscia
Former Managing Editor at The Escapist. I have been writing about video games since 2018 and editing writing on IT, project management, and video games for around a decade. I have an English degree, but Google was a more valuable learning resource. I taught English in South Korea for a year in 2018, and it was exponentially more fun than living in Pennsylvania. My major passions in life are SNES, Japanese RPGs, Berserk, and K-pop. I'm currently developing the game Boss Saga with my brother, which is guaranteed to change your life and you should buy it.