We entered the 2020s. Will a new Perfect Dark game finally happen ?

[FarSight XR-20]

So I saw these recent tweets from Rare account and was wondering if 2020 would finally be the year for Perfect Dark to return.

After Perfect Dark Zero, Rare began working (the PDZ team then the Conker team) on a sequel to Perfect Dark 64 called Perfect Dark Core (which was intented to include an online Counter-Operative mode like the first PD) but it was ultimately cancelled.

Despite the success of Perfect Dark Zero (the game made four times its money back), the IP went somewhat into limbo (when excluding the XBLA remake of Perfect Dark 64 in 2010), probably because Halo, Gears and Call of Duty were more popular than ever and had way more resources than PD (Chris Tilston revealed they "were probably 25 people for most of the [PDZ] project" then "it ramped up at the end").

In 2015, Ken Lobb (creative director at Xbox Games Studios), while confirming that there was no Perfect Dark being worked at that time, said that "2020 would be an interesting year to bring back" Joanna Dark and that the IP was "in the discussion a lot".

While there has been much speculation about what UK studio Rare might be working on next, Lobb revealed that it's not a new Perfect Dark game. "Today, no one is working on a new Perfect Dark," he said, while also pointing out that Perfect Dark is "in the discussion a lot" regarding which franchises Microsoft should bring back for the new generation.

Lobb also teased that a new Perfect Dark could, if it ever does get made, be a more story-driven game that dives into who Joanna Dark is. He also suggested that it might not even be a shooter, as Microsoft already has the shooter space covered well with the Halo and Gears of War franchises.

"In a world where you have Halo and you have Gears, having another Perfect Dark Zero-style game maybe makes a little bit less sense than something that's a little more story-driven around Joanna," Lobb said. "Whether that's third-person with stealth, et cetera, et cetera ... we like the IP."

Perfect Dark Zero was set in the year 2020, which Lobb teased could make for a fitting time to see the series return to life. "Maybe we'll see another Joanna Dark game with Joanna by 2020. That would be an interesting year to bring her back," he said.

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Microsoft: Banjo-Kazooie, Perfect Dark, and More Will Return Eventually

"We have surprises in store in the near and long future," Ken Lobb says.

www.gamespot.com

Then at E3 2018, Phil Spencer said that he was talking with Gallagher (Studio Head of The Initiative) "about some things in our past that might be interesting" and pointed out how Gallahger loved "working on Lara Croft and Tomb Raider, kinda reworking some of that franchise".

https://mixer.com/Xbox?vod=38091182

at 1h49mins:

When [Gallagher] left Activision we started talking about what he wanted to do next. I think he really loved his time with Crystal Dynamics and working on Lara Croft and Tomb Raider, kinda reworking some of that franchise. We were talking about some things in our past that might be interesting. Nothing to announce yet, but just some things he might want to work on.

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This doesn't mean much, but there is also this :

The same way The Coalition's logo is refering to the COG from Gears of War and 343 Industries name is refering to Halo, this could refer to the dataDyne Corp. from Perfect Dark (the main antagonist in both PD64 and PDZ).

The game The Initiative is working on is already playable, The Coalition appears to support them and we should learn more about it "over the next 12 months".




What's interesting too is that in IGN's podcast Unlocked 328 (January 2018), Ryan McCaffrey was discussing about Perfect Dark rumors :
"The Coalition, they are allegedly assisting on a new Perfect Dark game with another unnamed studio".
And then Alanah Pearce said she heard about it from sources.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig_nh_rLeG0&feature=emb_title

However, The Initiative was not founded yet at this moment, so this is difficult to guess what could be this studio (if the rumor was to be real).

At the end, my guess/hope is that The Initiative is working on the reboot of a dormant IP which may be a more story-driven Perfect Dark with Joanna Dark and that they are going to reveal it at the next E3.

Edit:

Tweet from Phil Spencer

 

[Deleted member 9035]

Probably not. It doesn't strike me as an investment Microsoft would want to make. They bailed on Sunset Overdrive pretty fast and that had bigger f2p/battle royale potential than Perfect Dark has.

 

[Legacy]

No poll? I doubt a we'll ever get a new PD game.

 

[Glimpse_Dog]

Lord please. Perfect Dark on N64 is my favourite shooter ever. Zero was trash though. I mentioned it in another thread but next game needs counter op back, Carrington institute hub world at minimum. I love for them to take a hitman 2 style approach with the missions - big sandboxy areas with lots of toys and multiple replays. It doesn't really need a traditional competitive multiplayer if they make the missions repayable enough and focus on co-op/counter-OP.

 

[Deleted member 7883]

OP didn't include a poll bc they're afraid of the truth

ain't gonna happen bub

 

[Jegriva]

Humanity has proven unworthy.

 

[Deleted member 9035]

The real question in the OP should be about Jet Force Gemini.
Edit: add it to the poll you coward!

 

[nekkid]

I can see it (via The Initiative)

 

[FarSight XR-20]

The real question in the OP should be about Jet Force Gemini

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I love Jet Force Gemini so much, but I lost all hope about this one. Same for Conker.

 

[Ushojax]

I don't think so, there have only been two games and the last one was 14 years ago. It was also a complete turd.

I just don't think there is an appetite for it or that Rare could deliver something of the required quality.

 

[Mack]

It totally should, hashtag believe.

 

[pswii60]

I'm convinced all PD rumours trace back to a single post by our very own Klobrille.

Alas, if it really in development then I doubt it's The Initiative working on it. Sounds like they're doing something totally new.

 

[Akai]

Wasn't The Coalition helping StoryLab Productions with a game that was rumored to be Perfect Dark? Whatever happened to that?

 

[Glimpse_Dog]

I love Jet Force Gemini so much, but I lost all hope about this one. Same for Conker.

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I have a sneaky feeling conker will come back on series x.

 

[hipsterbodega]

I doubt it.

Which is a shame. I was once a huge fan of the series. The whole series. And the books and the comics.

At one point I had a Joanna Dark... I mean, doll is the only accurate way to describe it. It was officially licensed merchandise and it was, uh, largely anatomically correct? It had nipples and everything.

Anyway, we'll never get a new game or new weird sex doll.

 

[secretanchitman]

I wish it were true. Honestly I really hope they port Perfect Dark XBLA to PC and allow for mode, that would revitalize interest for sure!

 

[ShinUltramanJ]

I doubt it, but you never know. I could see them making it entirely third person like Splinter Cell.

But what has The Initiative done that makes anyone confident in them handling PD?

 

[Terror-Billy]

I voted no. I love the first one and somewhat enjoyed PDZ as a launch title, but how do you make the IP relevant on current days? A straight corridor shooter won't do it. Neither would a cinematic shooter, unless you have one hell of a story to tell. I dunno, I'd love to see a good take on PD, I just don't know how could they achieve it.

 

[Suede]

I was so hyped for Zero. It really bummed me out how it turned out. I wouldn't mind seeing a dev having another crack at one.

I'm glad I still have Perfect Dark on XBLA though. Still play that now and again.

 

[FelipeMGM]

we better

I'd like to see what Compulsion could achieve in that property, leaning more to an immersive sim

 

[Bear and bird]

I think it's going to happen eventually. It's one of the few Rare IPs that, to me, makes sense to reboot as a AAA project.

I don't think so, there have only been two games and the last one was 14 years ago. It was also a complete turd.

I just don't think there is an appetite for it or that Rare could deliver something of the required quality.

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You could have said the same thing about Killer Instinct. Two games in the 90s and then nothing for almost two decades. And since KI 2013 wasn't developed by Rare, a new Perfect Dark could potentially be developed by an external studio as well.

 

[IXI FalcoN]

we better

I'd like to see what Compulsion could achieve in that property, leaning more to an immersive sim

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That's exactly how it should be brought back. This IP has all the right ingredients for a Deus Ex type game.

The secondary functions for every weapon and the changing objectives for higher difficulties should make a return.

You could even do Counter Ops via a Dark Souls invasion system.

 

[FarSight XR-20]

I voted no. I love the first one and somewhat enjoyed PDZ as a launch title, but how do you make the IP relevant on current days? A straight corridor shooter won't do it. Neither would a cinematic shooter, unless you have one hell of a story to tell. I dunno, I'd love to see a good take on PD, I just don't know how could they achieve it.

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I would prefer a multiplayer shooter like the N64 and X360 games (I think PDZ's try on a cyberpunk/alien version of Battlefield with 64 players could have been great with more resources and time) , but if PD ever gets rebooted, I don't expect it to be a FPS.

Lobb also teased that a new Perfect Dark could, if it ever does get made, be a more story-driven game that dives into who Joanna Dark is. He also suggested that it might not even be a shooter, as Microsoft already has the shooter space covered well with the Halo and Gears of War franchises.

"In a world where you have Halo and you have Gears, having another Perfect Dark Zero-style game maybe makes a little bit less sense than something that's a little more story-driven around Joanna," Lobb said. "Whether that's third-person with stealth, et cetera, et cetera ... we like the IP."

Click to shrink...

 

[blairjs]

Perfect Dark is probably my favorite game of all time. It is just a matter of when. I loved the single player and multiplayer.

Zero sucked to be rushed for 360 launch. Keep in mine, it was originally going to launch on the gamecube than the xbox, before we finally got it. Stuff got scrapped.

Honestly though, I expect it to happen. It could be a 3rd person game that they worked on in the past, or heck even VR.

 

[King Kingo]

Well, Perfect Dark got one thing right, corporations rule everything.

Personally, I think a Perfect Dark remake would be an awesome Xbox Series X launch title.

 

[FarSight XR-20]

Another interesting clue from Phil Spencer :-)

 

[Windu]

Meh, let it die.

 

[Pyro]

 

[Ororo]

I doubt it.

Which is a shame. I was once a huge fan of the series. The whole series. And the books and the comics.

At one point I had a Joanna Dark... I mean, doll is the only accurate way to describe it. It was officially licensed merchandise and it was, uh, largely anatomically correct? It had nipples and everything.

Anyway, we'll never get a new game or new weird sex doll.

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What? Officially licensed?

 

[ghostcrew]

Obligatory 'look at this Perfect Dark ship set that Rare added to Sea of Thieves'! It's actually maybe the ugliest nostalgia ship set that they've added but still... it exists! The Kameo, Banjo and Killer Instinct ones are loads nicer.

 

[SteviaRelievingYa]

I really don't see them releasing a new perfect dark the same year as halo but it would be awesome. Perfect dark zero was magical on Xbox live after the launch of the 360. The 32 player zombie games got intense towards the end if you could survive that long.

 

[dskzero]

Has there been anything to Perfect Dark since Zero? That one was depressing.

 

[Kneefoil]

Ooh, Perfect Dark turned into a third person stealth game would be interesting. Maybe not what all the fans wanted, but stealth would definitely fit the spy theme than first-person shooting, and there aren't many big budget stealth games around nowadays.

Basically, I just want something to fill the MGS 1-3 shaped hole in my heart. lol

 

[Sabretooth]

I've never played any of the Perfect Dark games, but I'm absolutely down for something like this turned into a modern game. I hope they do it.

 

[Bede-x]

I wish it did, but I don't think so. One of the most frustrating things about being a fan of Xbox for me, is that the titles I love them for are those that are most unlikely to get sequels. Perfect Dark, Banjo, Crackdown, Fable (praying and waiting Playground), Voodoo Vince and others. A Perfect Dark sequel that follows and respects the philosophy of the original N64 game is my most wanted game on any format. I'm thankful for the remaster on XBLA and that they made it BC so we can take it with us, hopefully across generations, plus I'm one of the few that loved Perfect Dark Zero, even if it didn't live up to the first and was rather disjointed. Then again, no FPS campaign has ever lived up to that, but if anything might have a chance it would be a new take on the formula. I just don't see it happening :(

 

[Freakzilla]

Sadly not. PD on N64 was my fucking jam but after the absolute dogshit that was PD0, I'm not even sure anyone could make another "Rare" FPS.

 

[Stoopkid]

Yes.

all of these came true last year.

https://i.imgur.com/5ff1xFd.png

 

[Gundam]

Probably not but that "New Things (and Old Things)" tweet might be the only actual hint

 

[LazyLain]

I want to believe.

 

[Deleted member 17207]

Sincerely hope so. I didn't play any of them after the N64 game, but that game was so damn perfect, and the story was so damn original and awesome. There's not enough intrigue in the stories of FPS games anymore, I'd love to see that come back.

 

[A New Beginning]

I don't see why not. MS probably wants more games with female protagonists and a competent dev could make a 1st person Hitman-type game with this IP.

 

[ChaosXVI]

Maybe not come out this year, but maybe get announced. I've never understood why they just sat on this franchise for so long when PDZ was pretty successful, even if it didn't review all that great.

I'd hope they get Grant Kirkhope back to do the music, but considering how much he's publicly trashed MS since leaving Rare, I'm not holding my breath.

 

[tapedeck]

Yeah I think it's coming and it is The Initiative making it but not at Series X launch, my guess is Fall 2021 and it'll be XSX exclusive.

 

[FarSight XR-20]

Yes.

all of these came true last year.

https://i.imgur.com/5ff1xFd.png

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That would corroborate that discussion in the IGN podcast about a new Perfect Dark being in development.

Has there been anything to Perfect Dark since Zero? That one was depressing.

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Perfect Dark Core (cancelled) and the Perfect Dark XBLA remake.

I think PDZ's single-player was not good but the multiplayer was very fun.

 

[Chopchop]

I'd be surprised if it ever happened. Perfect Dark is thematically 90s as fuck with all the stuff about area 51 and aliens. Those subjects are super corny in this day and age.

It would be very hard to make a new game in that universe that plays it straight, the way the n64 game did.

I'd like to see what Compulsion could achieve in that property, leaning more to an immersive sim

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That's a pretty good idea. But unfortunately that's probably unlikely because immersive sims seem to have a very poor effort to revenue ratio. I'm not sure if attaching the Perfect Dark name to a new immersive sim would make it more or less appealing.

 

[daTRUballin]

Meh, let it die.

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I love how these two are the very first responses after the OP posted a tweet that seems to be a pretty legit hint towards something lol.

 

[HustleBun]

Perfect Dark Zero was one of the most disappointing sequels I've ever played. Even the multiplayer was crappy.

Perfect Dark on N64 was jam packed with gameplay modes, characters, levels, modifiers, AI personalities, weapons. There was so much to do and play with.

Zero had none of that.

I also worked in a big software company managing sales reps aged 23-30 for almost 5 years. We had an N64 and an Xbox 360. I found myself constantly explaining what Perfect Dark was to people. No one knew what it was. Made me sad.

I loved Perfect Dark so much and it's probably my favorite N64 multiplayer game next to Bomberman. With most of the key creative team gone, seeing what they did with Zero (regardless of time constraints) and knowing that outside of a dedicated community of fans that most people have forgotten the existence of this game:

It's over.
I don't see the Perfect Dark that anybody wants happening in any capacity. If we get one, I am extremely skeptical that it will feature any of things that made us love the original game.

Also: WTF was up with Zero's sexually explicit ending song?! That was so out of place and had nothing to do with the game.

 

[-Tetsuo-]

No one cares about perfect dark in 2020

 

[LordBaztion]

I wouldn't mind if it doesn't, make new IPs instead.

 

[Man Called Aerodynamics]

I don't think there will be another one.

But it is one of those things that puzzles me about this industry. Like, how is it that a middling IP like Darksiders gets sequel after sequel after sequel, yet an IP like Perfect Dark that seems just as valuable, if not more, lies fallow.