(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)
Perfect Dark faced an unfortunate destiny during the sweeping Microsoft layoffs, but adding to the disappointment, a former developer verified that its captivating gameplay trailer was indeed authentic.
In recent moves, Microsoft has trimmed its gaming division, reportedly cutting the Forza Motorsport team significantly, halting production on Rareware’s Everwild, and entirely shutting down The Initiative along with the much-anticipated Perfect Dark reboot.
We witnessed gameplay from Perfect Dark in a spectacular demo last year, showcasing Joanna Dark as she navigated through what appeared to be a Dishonored-level environment infused with high-tech aesthetics. However, when the layoffs were announced, rumors suggested that the demo was “basically fake.”
Dispelling these claims, former level designer Adam McDonald, now contributing to Studio MDHR, the minds behind Cuphead, affirmed the vertical slice was “actually in-engine.” He explained, “I was one of three level designers that worked on it. It operated best following the playstyle seen in the video but remained functional outside perfect execution.”
McDonald elaborated that while some elements were partially staged, authentic gameplay mechanics were sufficiently operational to shine in that presentation. He remarked, “The parkour is entirely real, while hacking and deception were mostly grounded.”
Echoing the intricacies of typical vertical slices, the combat sequences were genuine insofar as a player controlled the character. Yet, diverging from the intended play path rendered it less optimal, showing that although the rumor was debunked, this reality brings only a bittersweet affirmation.
Phil Spencer reassured staff, stating, “Our platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger,” yet the looming specter of another major round of layoffs—within 18 months—is on the horizon, underscoring the industry’s challenging climate.
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