US EditionTake-Two Hires Former Perfect Dark Leads for Brand New 2K Studio
- This year, Take-Two has hired Perfect Dark studio head Darrell Gallagher and director Brian Horton to start a new studio within 2K Games, confirmed by a 2K spokesperson citing their six decades of AAA experience.
- Earlier this year, Xbox canceled Perfect Dark as part of layoffs, and leadership from both studio sides spent two months shopping the canceled project to publishers.
- Per reporting, the project had been troubled with multiple studios involved, including Crystal Dynamics, while The Initiative closed after the game's cancelation.
- No details have yet emerged about what the new 2K studio will work on or if any other former Perfect Dark employees joined them, and 2K Games said it has no additional details but will share updates later.
- Failed negotiations over who would own the IP preceded the hire, as Take-Two Interactive's talks fell through and Crystal Dynamics faced its second round of layoffs this year.
25 Articles
25 Articles
The sudden cancellation of Perfect Dark by Xbox and the simultaneous closure of the studio The Initiative caused a shock wave in the industry. Also, consistent gameplay sequences (mostly fakes) were broadcast shortly before the project disappeared. Take-Two had then tried to save the franchise by simultaneously acquiring intellectual property ... Read more The article Two veterans of the video game join 2K after the abandonment of the Perfect Da…
"Unlike anything I've taken on before" — The heads of this canceled Xbox game join Take-Two to make a new 2K developer after Microsoft killed their studio
Xbox infamously canceled the Perfect Dark reboot and closed down The Initiative, but two of its lead devs have joined Take-Two to make a new 2K studio.
2K’s New Studio Aims Big With Former Initiative Leadership at the Helm
Studio heads of The Initiative are getting another chance in the industry after Microsoft shut down the studio in July 2025. As reported by IGN, two of the project leads of the cancelled Perfect Dark game have been asked to take part in the creation of a new studio at 2K. Brian Horton joins as vice president and head of creative, while Darren Gallagher is senior vice president and studio developer head. Here’s what a 2K spokesperson had to say …
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