Perfect Dark Reboot Team Launches New Studio in Partnership with 2K Games

Good morning! It’s that time of the week again—Tuesday, the day that often feels like a drag. But don’t worry, we’re here to dive into another edition of the Morning Checkpoint, your daily dose of gaming news and updates. Today, we’ve got insights on the sales of Elden Ring’s DLC, an unexpected Stranger Things crossover, and news about a new studio from 2K linked to the canceled Perfect Dark project.

Initially announced in 2020 and officially unveiled in 2024 with an exciting gameplay trailer, the reboot of Perfect Dark generated a lot of excitement before Microsoft decided to pull the plug in July. The Initiative, the studio behind the game, was also shut down. Now, following a reported effort by Take-Two to revive Perfect Dark, the publisher known for its major franchises has brought on board two key figures from the canceled project to establish a new game studio.

As reported by a reliable source, former Perfect Dark director Brian Horton and ex-The Initiative head Darrell Gallagher are setting up a brand new studio within 2K Games. Gallagher confirmed this development on LinkedIn. While details about the studio are still under wraps, it’s intriguing to see how this story is evolving. Clearly, Take-Two saw potential in that Perfect Dark demo!

Earlier this year, there were whispers that Take-Two was close to saving Xbox’s Perfect Dark, but the deal ultimately fell through.

In other news, Hideki Kamiya, the director of Resident Evil 2 and creator of Bayonetta, has been sharing insights about Capcom’s iconic 1998 survival horror title on social media. On December 9, he addressed a fan’s question about why he didn’t include any characters from the original Resident Evil in the sequel, admitting, “At the time, I was a selfish idiot who didn’t consider the feelings of the users. So, when I was making Biohazard 2, I decided to remove all the characters from the previous game and start fresh. This ultimately led to the lost project known as Biohazard 1.5. Later, when Sugimura-sensei joined the team, he was frustrated with me for not including the original characters, which is why I added Claire, Chris’s sister.”

In exciting news, Elden Ring: Nightreign’s first DLC, Forsaken Hollows, has already sold two million copies in less than two weeks. FromSoftware expressed their gratitude to fans who have “joined the hunt against the Dreglord.”

And in a surprising twist, Microsoft Flight Simulator is set to feature a crossover with Stranger Things. Yes, you read that right! Get ready for a blend of realistic flying and 80s nostalgia filled with demons and sci-fi elements.