Closing in on 4 years since Microsoft’s Excellent Darkish reboot was introduced, and a 12 months because it was reported that “little significant progress” had been made on the undertaking since its unveiling, it is now being claimed the reboot stays in “a really tough state”.
That is based on journalist Jeff Grubb who, whereas discussing Xbox’s shock latest studio closures on the Big Bombcast, advised co-presenters, “I have been listening to for years that Excellent Darkish is in a tough state, [but] it sounds prefer it’s in a very tough state. It does not sound prefer it’s actually come collectively in any approach since then.”
Within the wake of Grubb’s feedback, a number of different trade pundits (as noticed by VGC) took to social media with related claims. VG247’s Alex Donaldson wrote, “I’ve some loopy tales concerning the growth of that sport I’ve not put in print out of respect for a group actually making an attempt laborious to push a boulder up a steep hill. However my endurance is getting skinny.” In the meantime, online game historian Liam Robertson wrote, “From what little I’ve heard concerning the growth of the brand new Excellent Darkish, it feels like… a giant, protracted mess.”
These newest claims comply with an IGN report final 12 months during which the Excellent Darkish reboot was mentioned to have made “little significant progress” since its 2020 unveiling, after it hit “roadblock after roadblock”. IGN claimed the undertaking – a spy flavoured FPS combining espionage, devices, and fight – was nonetheless in pre-production on the time of its report, regardless of having been revealed three years prior, and roughly two to a few years away from launch. And primarily based on these newest experiences, it does not sound just like the undertaking’s fortunes have considerably improved.
Microsoft’s Excellent Darkish reboot was initially being developed by the corporate’s Santa Monica-based The Initiative studio, however 2021 hinted at troubles for the undertaking when it was revealed Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics had been introduced in to help. An exodus of key workers – together with the sport’s design director, lead stage designer, principal stage designer, and principal world builder – was reported the next 12 months.
Claims of continuous turmoil on the Excellent Darkish reboot are available in per week Microsoft is already dealing with criticism for its dealing with of different studios in its portfolio, with the corporate having simply introduced – following 1,900 layoffs at Xbox earlier this 12 months – the shock closure of Prey and Redfall developer Arkane Austin, The Evil Inside and Hello-Fi Rush studio Tango Gameworks, Mighty Doom developer Alpha Canine Video games, and Roundhouse Video games. It is also been reported additional cuts at Microsoft’s Xbox division are on the way in which.