The Initiative Head Leaves Xbox After Perfect Dark Remake Cancellation, Expresses “Pride for What We Accomplished”
Darrell Gallagher, Studio Head of Xbox’s The Initiative, has officially announced his departure following the cancellation of the long-awaited Perfect Dark remake. In a LinkedIn post, Gallagher reflected on his seven-and-a-half-year journey at Xbox, praising the team he built and expressing pride in their work despite the project’s premature end.
“After an incredible journey, my time at Xbox has come to a close with the wind-down of Perfect Dark and The Initiative,” Gallagher wrote. “I couldn’t be prouder of the talented and passionate team I had the privilege to assemble and lead. Together, we set out to reimagine an iconic franchise and poured creativity, craft, and dedication into every step of the way.”
He acknowledged the disappointment of the cancellation but emphasized gratitude for the community’s enthusiasm and the support of Xbox and development partners:
“While this chapter is ending sooner than hoped, the spirit, talent, and achievements of the team will live on well beyond the project. I leave with nothing but pride in what we accomplished together and excitement for what’s next.”
The Perfect Dark reboot was officially canceled two months ago, though Gallagher is only now confirming his departure. According to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, there was a last-minute effort to salvage the project by selling the rights to Take-Two Interactive. Talks fell apart due to disagreements over long-term franchise ownership, sealing the project’s fate.
The Initiative had been established with the goal of building “AAAA” titles and had recruited talent from across the industry. Yet, the collapse of Perfect Dark now marks one of the highest-profile cancellations in recent years for Xbox Game Studios.
Darrell Gallagher’s career spans over two decades across some of the industry’s biggest publishers:
Sony and Rockstar Games: Early career roles.
THQ: Various leadership positions.
Crystal Dynamics: Rose from Director of Art to Studio Head, where he led the successful Tomb Raider reboot trilogy.
Activision (2016–2018): Served as SVP and Head of Development, with credits on major franchises including Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Call of Duty: WWII, Modern Warfare Remastered, Infinite Warfare, Destiny 2, Skylanders: Imaginators, and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.
His track record with high-profile reboots was a key reason Microsoft selected him to lead Perfect Dark.
Gallagher has not revealed his next move, but his statement suggests he intends to remain in the games industry. Meanwhile, the future of Perfect Dark as a franchise remains uncertain, with Microsoft holding onto the IP after the failed deal with Take-Two.
Do you think Perfect Dark will ever return under a new team, or has Microsoft permanently shelved the franchise?
