It's all over for The Initiative and Perfect Dark... for Everwild and other games too
, by Thibaut
The rumor was only so for a few hours before it was finally confirmed. The next Perfect Dark will not see the light of day, despite a final demo shown at the Xbox Games Showcase in June 2024.
We also learn that The Initiative studio will close its doors without having released a single game. Matt Booty, head of Xbox Games Studio, sent an email to employees to announce the sad news. Other games including Everwild, the next ZeniMax Online production and unannounced titles have been cancelled.
"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."
"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."
Source: windowscentral.com