Canceled Perfect Dark Reboot Footage Leaks Online

Gameplay footage from the now-dead Perfect Dark reboot has surfaced online, per reports from IGN and VGC. The clips, originally published by MP1ST and reportedly from a VFX artist's portfolio, show early in-development gameplay.

The footage shows greybox environments, sci-fi weapons, destructible objects, and a focus on environmental effects like explosions. A parkour-based escape sequence featuring protagonist Joanna Dark is also visible, alongside a hacking sequence and weapon tests. IGN notes the team appeared to be testing "next-gen fruit destruction" physics.

According to IGN, voice actress Alix Wilton Regan had previously stated the game was "pretty far along" and that she had "done entire chapters." The reboot was in development at The Initiative, a studio established in 2018, with support from Crystal Dynamics. Both studios saw layoffs following the project's cancellation last year.

VGC reports that the reboot was first announced in 2020 and was canceled in 2025 as part of wider changes at Xbox Game Studios. Bloomberg reported that a deal to revive the game with financing from Take-Two Interactive was discussed but collapsed over franchise ownership terms.

The cancellation of this Perfect Dark revival occurred alongside the cancellation of Rare's Everwild.