Take-Two establishes new 2K studio led by former execs from The Initiative

IbizaPocholo

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman
www.gamesindustry.biz

Take-Two establishes new 2K studio led by former execs from The Initiative

SVP and studio head Darrell Gallagher describes new venture as "an ambitious opportunity"
www.gamesindustry.biz www.gamesindustry.biz

Take-Two Interactive has hired The Initiative's Darren Gallagher and Brian Horton to form a new studio at 2K.

Gallagher and Horton will head an "all-new venture" following the closure of their former studio.

Horton joins as vice president and head of creative, with Gallagher as senior vice president and studio head of the developer.

"We don't have additional details to share at this time, but look forward to sharing updates on their work in the future," said 2K (via IGN).

Sharing the news on LinkedIn, Gallagher described the studio as "an ambitious opportunity unlike anything [he's] taken on before."

Gallagher founded and led The Initiative in 2018, which was working on the Perfect Dark reboot with Crystal Dynamics.

Horton was creative director at Microsoft, leading the "creative vision and execution" at The Initiative during this project.
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Execs from the Initiative still work in video games?
sigh, It better not be anything Bioshock related. I actually want to see a game released in that franchise.
 
Fucking failing upwards wins again.

I am convinced AAA gaming is becoming an embezzlement scheme. Imagine getting high paying jobs and never actually releasing or producing anything.
 
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ryan reynolds hd GIF
 
The Initiative was a failure, but they have some serious experience in the industry

I doubt that Initiative failing was on them, since the whole gaming division in Microsoft is a trainwreck.

Darrell in particular was head of development in Deus Ex HR. I will give the man the benefit of the doubt everyday
 
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Everyone you don't know who Darren Gallagher is. Its Microsoft's fault that they mismanaged his project.
He was part of the original Agenet which was for PS2.
gameinformer.com

A Story From The Development Of Rockstar’s Agent

A Story From The Development Of Rockstar’s Agent on the Game Informer website.
gameinformer.com gameinformer.com
This was not PS3 Agent which was made by Rockstar North, the original was made by Rockstar San Diego. Darren Gallagher was lead artist. They went to Cairo and almost risked getting jailed after taking 12,000 pictures.
Strangely enough Perfect Dark was also set in Cairo.
 
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Angry_Megalodon said:
There must be some kind of masonic cult all these people belong to because in no normal business you would hire the very people that sank their previous project. Insanity.
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even with all those mass layoffs, the available quality must be low. Maybe their paycheck is linked to an deliver xy metascore clause this time. I would anyway do that with all employees of gaming studios. Share profits but rather average pay if the success is lacking or non existant.
Elios83 said:
The male version of Jade Raymond? :pie_roffles: :messenger_grinning_sweat:
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to be fair, Jade was involved in the best years of Ubisoft. Hiring her afterwards, was a sensible choice. At least for google. Sony though... to be seen.
 
Hugare said:
The Initiative was a failure, but they have some serious experience in the industry

I doubt that Initiative failing was on them, since the whole gaming division in Microsoft is a trainwreck.

Darrell in particular was head of development in Deus Ex HR. I will give the man the benefit of the doubt everyday
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Totally fucking e33 was made by former Ubisoft people. The guys who are constantly trashed everywhere
 
Gallagher has a solid resume. He lands at a Microsoft owned studio and all of a sudden his studio can't release a thing in a time when Microsoft was so bad at releasing things that they spent tens of billions of dollars to buy publishers already making things so they could say they released things.

I don't put the failure of The Initiative solely on the studio's leadership.
 
How is there so much failing upward in this industry? It just goes to show how deep the rot goes. Unique to gaming since it was such an insular culture when it blew up and got huge. People from other industries didn't hop in to help because so many of the people who work on games are just so undesirable to be around. Makes for a unique little petri dish.
 
Loomy said:
Gallagher has a solid resume. He lands at a Microsoft owned studio and all of a sudden his studio can't release a thing in a time when Microsoft was so bad at releasing things that they spent tens of billions of dollars to buy publishers already making things so they could say they released things.

I don't put the failure of The Initiative solely on the studio's leadership.
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Lots of people ignore this guy worked for Sony, Rockstar, Crystal Dynamics, Square Enix and Activision. When he worked under Microsoft, his project failed. He was Lead Artist in Rockstar's Agent (the original one for PS2) and Art Director in many PS360 era Tomb Raider games.

Take Two knows who they are hiring. Maybe reviving the original Agent game.
 
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Looking forward to the "What Happened?" episode.

Witchilich said:
Everyone you don't know who Darren Gallagher is. Its Microsoft's fault that they mismanaged his project.
He was part of the original Agenet which was for PS2.
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How was it microsoft's fault?
When developers were leaving his studio a few years ago they pretty much blamed him directly for what was happening.
 
T2 is weird. They have like the most massive IP with GTA, yet they hire these guys and have kept that fraud Ken Levine around, who hasn't shipped a game in 12 years.
 
Odinnii said:
How was it microsoft's fault?
When developers were leaving his studio a few years ago they pretty much blamed him directly for what was happening.
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Look at his resume, after successfully working on so many games for different publishers, his project under Microsoft failed.
 
Maybe for the low level tech workers(?), it's hard to find a new gaming job when a project goes belly up.

But it sure seems high level people always figure out a way to hit the jackpot with a new project shifting from project to project. Those big gaming corps love dishing out the money like it's nothing. And they and investor companies wonder why they lose money on so many games and the studio shuts down.

Sony did the same thing with the ex-COD guy at Deviation Studios. They partnered with them, the studio sank, and then Sony hired him internally for another game.
 
ChorizoPicozo said:
Booty is above this guy. Booty is the problem, Booty is MS
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The only thing Booty did wrong was not shit can the game earlier. If your boss left you unattended for 7 years and you had very little to show of it and it got cancelled, that makes you a horrible project manager. The Initiative's heads screwed around for 7 years when Microsoft should cancelled it after 3. Not having good oversight from Microsoft does not excuse that they have 5+ years to get a project off the ground and they couldn't do it.
 
CentralScrutinizer said:
The only thing Booty did wrong was not shit can the game earlier. If your boss left you unattended for 7 years and you had very little to show of it and it got cancelled, that makes you a horrible project manager. The Initiative's heads screwed around for 7 years when Microsoft should cancelled it after 3. Not having good oversight from Microsoft does not excuse that they have 5+ years to get a project off the ground and they couldn't do it.
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🤔....

Fable Legends. (canceled)

Crackdown 3 (subpar, failed to deliver cloud computing)

Quantum Break (push TV, long Dev time unlike control)

Halo Infintie (Incomplete, unpolished, Dev hell)

the last forza motorsports
The last flight simulator
(unfished and unpolished products, long Dev time for forza)

Avowed ( Dev hell, subpar, not the game they showed at first)

Everwild (canceled)

State of decay 3 (Dev hell)
Fable (Dev hell)

Developers across the world all have issues with one common factor; Macroshit.
 
ChorizoPicozo said:
🤔....

Fable Legends. (canceled)

Crackdown 3 (subpar, failed to deliver cloud computing)

Quantum Break (push TV, long Dev time unlike control)

Halo Infintie (Incomplete, unpolished, Dev hell)

the last forza motorsports
The last flight simulator
(unfished and unpolished products, long Dev time for forza)

Avowed ( Dev hell, subpar, not the game they showed at first)

Everwild (canceled)

State of decay 3 (Dev hell)
Fable (Dev hell)

Developers across the world all have issues with one common factor; Macroshit.
Click to expand...
Multiple things can be true, microsoft execs are shit and the managers of these projects were shit. If your boss is asleep at the wheel and you take forever to do your job, that makes you shit at it and your boss shit at it.
 
CentralScrutinizer said:
Multiple things can be true, microsoft execs are shit and the managers of these projects were shit. If your boss is asleep at the wheel and you take forever to do your job, that makes you shit at it and your boss shit at it.
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Sure, but this was not the case. MS set up The Initiative for failure since its inception; the idea of "the future of game development" that Booty presented (a couple of dozen senior devs/dream team designing the game, then using an established studio like Crystal Dynamics with its own creative leadership to execute the Initiative's ideas) was a recipe for disaster.

Just like the the OG Xbox veteran said: Xbox can't make game a scale. They wanted to make a AAAA game when they are barely able to make AA games
 
ChorizoPicozo said:
Sure, but this was not the case. MS set up The Initiative for failure since its inception; the idea of "the future of game development" that Booty presented (a couple of dozen senior devs/dream team designing the game, then using an established studio like Crystal Dynamics with its own creative leadership to execute the Initiative's ideas) was a recipe for disaster.

Just like the the OG Xbox veteran said: Xbox can't make game a scale. They wanted to make a AAAA game when they are barely able to make AA games
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Weren't these guys from crystal dynamics? If anything, bringing in crystal dynamics should've made this game more likely to come to market. Like I said, the initiative leadership was shit as was booty and spencer and its insane they are failing upwards. They can prove me wrong by releasing a product.
 
CentralScrutinizer said:
Weren't these guys from crystal dynamics? If anything, bringing in crystal dynamics should've made this game more likely to come to market.
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Nope. But the opposite. (I don't even remember the original thread) but when it was announced that Crystal Dynamics was going to be the "support studio" I knew this game was going to have a lot of problems why?

Because video games are a creative medium. You can't put two groups of creative leadership (the initiative and Cristal dynamics) and expects everything to go smooth.
CentralScrutinizer said:
Like I said, the initiative leadership was shit as was booty and spencer and its insane they are failing upwards. They can prove me wrong by releasing a product.
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The initiative was a facade of high-profile developers; it crumbled when Crystal Dynamics took charge of the project. MS/Booty are like:
200.gif

But, but, but, we are giving you money, Why can't you make game?
 
ChorizoPicozo said:
Nope. But the opposite. (I don't even remember the original thread) but when it was announced that Crystal Dynamics was going to be the "support studio" I knew this game was going to have a lot of problems why?

Because video games are a creative medium. You can't put two groups of creative leadership (the initiative and Cristal dynamics) and expects everything to go smooth.
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The credits posted aboce literally shows that one of the guys responsible for the initiative and this game was the HEAD OF STUDIO for crystal dynamics for seven years.... I highly doubt Crystal Dynamics coming in distabilized the developement, if anything these guys brough Crystal Dynamics in as production scaled up. Long story short, its insane to me how you can mismanage a project for that long and get handed another studio with full funding.
 
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CentralScrutinizer said:
The credits posted aboce literally shows that one of the guys responsible for the initiative and this game was the HEAD OF STUDIO for crystal dynamics for seven years.... I highly doubt Crystal Dynamics coming in distabilized the developement, if anything these guys brough Crystal Dynamics in as production scaled up. Long story short, its insane to me how you can mismanage a project for that long and get handed another studio with full funding.
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Chad gpt Project Dark (The Initiative) :

2018 | "The AAAA Studio Is Born"

Event: Microsoft founds The Initiative, led by former Crystal Dynamics studio head Darrell Gallagher.

PR: Early ambition ("AAAA studio") raises expectations and pressure from the start.
---

Dec 2020 | Perfect Dark Reveal at The Game Awards

Event: Cinematic reveal trailer announces the reboot

PR: No gameplay shown; unclear development progress even at reveal.

---

Feb 2021 | Early High-Profile Staff Exodus

Event: Design Director Drew Murray leaves to return to Insomniac Games.

PR: One of the first senior departures, signaling instability early on.


---

Sep 2021 | Crystal Dynamics Joins as Co-Developer

Event: The Initiative brings in Crystal Dynamics to help build the game.

PR: Unusual for a new studio to need a major AAA support partner so early.


---

2021 – Early 2022 | Massive Turnover & Creative Reboots

Event: Over 30+ developers, including:

Game Director Dan Neuburger

Senior writers

Key design/tech leads
depart the studio

PR:
Multiple sources describe reboots of the design vision.

Leadership conflict rumored between Crystal Dynamics and The Initiative.

Morale & direction reportedly unstable.

---

Nov 2022 | Xbox Quietly Acknowledges Problems

Event: Xbox Studios head Matt Booty states the team has been "slowly rebuilding" after departures.

PR: Confirms turnover issues publicly for the first time.


---

June 2023 | Insider Reports: Still Years Away

Event: Reports state the project is still in early development, despite being announced in 2020.

PR: Estimated 2–3 years from release, reinforcing concerns about repeated restarts.


---

June 2024 | First Gameplay (In-Engine) Reveal

Event: Xbox shows the first in-engine gameplay trailer.

PR: Trailer well-received, but dev insiders later claim the slice was highly curated.


---

July 2024 | Rumor: "Gameplay Was Rudimentary"

Event: A former developer claims systems were not fully functional and the showcase was built for presentation.

PR: Suggests gameplay was far from playable, reaffirming deep development problems.


---

Jul 2025 | CANCELLATION – Microsoft Closes The Initiative

Event:

Perfect Dark reboot canceled.

The Initiative shut down.
Part of Microsoft's 4% workforce reduction.

PR: Major corporate failure; emblematic of AAA overspending and mismanagement.



---

Sep 2025 | Near-Rescue Attempt (Take-Two) Fails

Event: Take-Two reportedly discussed picking up the project/IP direction but the talks fall through.

PR: Confirms how troubled and incomplete the project was; not viable even with new publisher.


---

Let me put it in this way:

80% of the problems around this game came form MS leadership/management. 20% from the devs
 
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