The Initiative is partnering with Crystal Dynamics for Perfect Dark development

[bcatwilly]

Jez frankly just has some bad emotional takes on things at times, even though I like most of his stuff. And he did admit that much of it was simply because he doesn’t like Crystal Dynamics for some reason, including the first two Tomb Raider reboot games. However, I absolutely loved the first two Tomb Raider reboot games more than Uncharted which I had held up as the standard prior to them for such games. So I am hyped for the news

[pg2g]

@Biggzy

Not necessarily true. This agreement is probably confirmation that the game is in full development mode now and so having CD on for potentially 2 years is a long time.

Yeah but if they are targeting 2023, they had to have had a plan to make that happen IMO

[profjjj]

@OneBadMutha

I listened to Parris’s Spaces yesterday. First off, I really like the dude but disagreed strongly with the take. I think his feelings will change once he gets more info. He was up front that he doesn’t know or understand the situation. He wants The Initiative to build the game themselves…even if it doesn’t come out for years. I don’t think he understands how much outsourcing goes on or what type of studio The Initiative is.

Jez just isn’t a fan of CD. That said, I expect Jez will do some digging and eventually provide more insight. The thing I respect about him is regardless of what his gut feeling is, he’ll still look for facts.

Good grief. That is just a monumentally dumb opinion. The Initiative has about 80 employees? So we should wait 10 years for them to make the game?

Try watching the credits for most recent AAA games, Parris.

I like the guy, but sheesh…

[LucasTaves]

Excellent news.

This means that Ms is investing a lot on the project (renting a studio that is not usually a support studio and that has its own projects that could earn hundrends of millions in profit for Square is not going to come out cheap), so they must be really confident by the prototype/concept they created.

Also means the game is in full production now or has entered full production recently which means it’s not that far off from release (2-3 more years).

And finally, that the idea of Initiative being a design studio aimed to working with external partners for development must be going well. Hope it all works out and Ms has more teams like that, they can be an ace to ramp up studios quickly and work on multiple projects at once

[Biggzy (Hassan)]

@pg2g

Yeah but if they are targeting 2023, they had to have had a plan to make that happen IMO

I am not sure what you mean. Are you saying TI had plans to get another studio on board? Of course hence why they got CD on board now because now is the time to ramp up production.

[bcatwilly]

@profjjj

Good grief. That is just a monumentally dumb opinion. The Initiative has about 80 employees? So we should wait 10 years for them to make the game?

Try watching the credits for most recent AAA games, Parris.

I like the guy, but sheesh…

I am a software developer by trade, and unfortunately many video game enthusiasts have zero idea the level of work required to make a AAA game at the caliber of what they appear to be shooting for based on the initial Perfect Dark reveal video. But I still love Parris

[No-1HoloLens-Fan]

I can’t tell you how excited I am

It’s exactly happening as Drew Murray said they will do development

[bcatwilly]

I am still baffled to be honest waking up to any real “concern” with this news. If you had to pick between what would make you more concerned would it be (1) hoping the brand new ground up studio at The Initiative could actually deliver an awesome Perfect Dark game in anywhere near a reasonable timeframe with AAA polish or (2) Xbox announces that a serious pedigree AAA studio in Crystal Dynamics is partnering to provide development resources to the effort. Good grief.

This is some important context too for why this move makes perfect sense. Perfect Dark lead, Daniel Neuburger, was previously the Crystal Dynamics studio head, and game director of the Tomb Raider series. If anyone at The Initiative knows where Crystal Dynamics will be best served on the Perfect Dark project, it’s Neuburger.

[beastmode10]

@profjjj

• They are arguing in bad faith/concern trolling.
• They don’t really understand The Initiative or game development and thus leap to poor conclusions.
• They have developed some kind of PTSD from the Xbox One generation, so now have permanent “glass half empty syndrome” when it comes to Xbox.

Inclined to believe all 3 of those reasons applying simultaneously.

On a first reading - it is clearly, “great news to speed up the project with mature industry folk experienced in making AAA games”.

Even on a second reading and understanding how The Initiative intends to work - as shared by OBM - I am actually more in favour of the first reading.

The – I am concerned about ‘Burger King’ helping out and the state of Perfect Dark - takes by Parris, Jez, Fonz, are so bizarre.

[morventhus]

@bcatwilly

…I am still baffled to be honest waking up to any real “concern” with this news. If you had to pick between what would make you more concerned would it be (1) hoping the brand new ground up studio at The Initiative could actually deliver an awesome Perfect Dark game in anywhere near a reasonable timeframe with AAA polish or (2) Xbox announces that a serious pedigree AAA studio in Crystal Dynamics is partnering to provide development resources to the effort. Good grief. This is some important context too for why this move makes perfect sense. Perfect Dark lead, Daniel Neuburger, was previously the Crystal Dynamics studio head, and game director of the Tomb Raider series. If anyone at The Initiative knows where Crystal Dynamics will be best served on the Perfect Dark project, it’s Neuburger.

The only “real” concern ive heard is a worry that pd will play more like tomb raider and other crystal dynamics games.

And like sure it could. But some cd staff are working at initiative ready sooooo that worry should have shown up a year ago…

Point being ignore the fake outrage and lookforward to a fun ip returning

[javycane (Javier Ruiz)]

@bcatwilly

Jez frankly just has some bad emotional takes on things at times

Like saying EA deserved 0 credit for rebooting dead space cause they closed Visceral and only are doing it due to RE2 remake sucess while simultaneously being hyped for Fable which has the same circumstances.

Like I dont get it. He lets his feelings get in the way too much when it comes to reporting.

[beastmode10]

@bcatwilly

This is some important context too for why this move makes perfect sense. Perfect Dark lead, Daniel Neuburger, was previously the Crystal Dynamics studio head, and game director of the Tomb Raider series. If anyone at The Initiative knows where Crystal Dynamics will be best served on the Perfect Dark project, it’s Neuburger.

I didn’t know that. Good to learn something new.

Thanks. Cheers.

[javycane (Javier Ruiz)]

@morventhus

The only “real” concern ive heard is a worry that pd will play more like tomb raider and other crystal dynamics games.

The game is a first person spy game. Off the bat its nothing like Tomb Raider.

[morventhus]

@javycane

The game is a first person spy game. Off the bat its nothing like Tomb Raider.

Oh i fully agree hence the real being in quotes.

If you look at the rest of the message i explain the reach people are making with the concern.

[javycane (Javier Ruiz)]

@morventhus

Oh i fully agree hence the real being in quotes.

If you look at the rest of the message i explain the reach people are making with the concern.

Sorry man just woke up

[morventhus]

@javycane

Sorry man just woke up

Same here so like its all good i probably could have worded it better.

Either way PD is going to be a fine game and people shouldnt worry about anything especially with no gameplay being shown yet.

[CallMeCraig]

@bigboy1173

I think this annoucement means that perfect dark has either recently, or is just about to, entered full production.

Thats also my take-away and so i’m very happy with this news

[SuikerBrood]

The Initiative has had two years to lay down the vision, the groundwork, etc. for Perfect Dark. Really interested to see how fast a project can move forward when in full production. The Initiative is an interesting studio, that’s for sure.

[beastmode10]

@morventhus

Point being ignore the fake outrage and lookforward to a fun ip returning

Agree. Just that xbox has weird influencers - who act like sony fanbois at times

[TheSlickTony (Marcus Pierce)]

I’m not sure why anyone would be upset about this. From the onset, it was obvious that the Initiative was going to be a (relatively) small studio filled with senior design and writing talent. They would design the game and then outsource for the heavy lifting.

It’s an interesting experiment.