This week, amid significant layoffs at Microsoft, the company announced the closure of The Initiative and the cancellation of the acclaimed Perfect Dark reboot, which was initially unveiled in 2020 with a gameplay revelation showcased in 2024’s Xbox Games Showcase. This footage, described as an ’eco sci-fi shooter’ featuring the character Joanna Dark, drew much enthusiasm but also skepticism after a notable journalist suggested the gameplay footage was misleading.

Adam McDonald, a developer on the project for over three years, took to social media to clarify these claims. He emphasized, “It is actually in-engine. I was one of three level designers that worked on it. … It’s probably more real than you think.”

McDonald acknowledged that while some elements of game trailers often involve creative enhancement, the core gameplay systems demonstrated were functional and genuine. He lamented about the hard work of his team now seemingly overshadowed by controversies surrounding the game’s authenticity.