Tomb Raider studio Crystal Dynamics is working on the Perfect Dark reboot
The game is currently underdevelopment by The Initiative and Crystal Dynamics for Microsoft Game Studios.
At the Game Awards in 2020, Microsoft and The Initiative announced a reboot of the classic futuristic FPS Perfect Dark. It’s the first project from The Initiative, a studio formed in 2018 with several industry veterans from high-profile companies. We know little about the new Perfect Dark title for now, but we recently learned the Square Enix studio Crystal Dynamics is also joining the project.
Originally created by Rare for the Nintendo 64 in 2000, the Perfect Dark series produced a prequel in 2005 and a remake in 2010 — both for the Xbox 360. Since then, however, the franchise has been in limbo. The reboot project is an attempt by Microsoft to bring this series back, especially as Rare is busy with other projects.
See the initial trailer for the game below:
So why is Crystal Dynamics working on the Perfect Dark reboot, anyway?
While a collaboration between Microsoft and Square Enix studios seems unlikely at first, the fact that Crystal Dynamics is working on this project makes perfect sense. The Initiative is led by former Crystal Dynamics studio head Darrell Gallagher, so the companies already had a common connection.
Crystal Dynamics was well-known in the 90s and 2000s for the Gex and Soul Reaver games. The company was acquired by Eidos in 1998, and then by Square Enix when they bought Eidos in 2009. Square Enix also put them in charge of Marvel’s Avengers which, while not critically or commercially successful overall, definitely found its audience in the end.
Crystal Dynamics also worked on the Tomb Raider series from 2006’s Tomb Raider: Legacy to 2015’s Rise of the Tomb Raider. Now, with Crystal Dynamics working on the Perfect Dark reboot, the company has the chance to put its mark on another famous female gaming icon. If it can put the same fresh spin on Joanna Dark as they did Lara Croft, then it seems that the series is in good hands.
Are you excited to see more of the Perfect Dark reboot? Let us know!
