Gameplay footage of Xbox’s Perfect Dark surfaces online

More than two minutes of new gameplay footage from the canceled Perfect Dark has leaked online, showcasing what could have been one of Xbox’s major games of this generation.

The new footage from Perfect Dark was published by the portal Mp1st, featuring new locations, traversal systems, and combat fragments utilizing various weapon types. The material originated from a VFX artist who worked on various game projects. The recording was obtained through independent investigation and was not provided to the editorial staff by the developer or anyone from The Initiative.

Recording on X and the Mp1st portal

The gameplay demonstrates a relatively early stage of development. According to Mp1st, starting in April 2025, The Initiative worked on the initial “vertical slice,” which was an playable fragment intended to demonstrate the target quality and key features of the game. Perfect Dark was planned to feature an episodic structure.

Previously, Jason Schreier of Bloomberg reported that Take-Two had discussed funding further development with Microsoft and Embracer. The parties failed to reach an agreement, following which Perfect Dark was canceled. In July 2025, Microsoft closed The Initiative as part of a restructuring.