2020 was a tough time for video game announcements. Due to the pandemic, a lot of organizers had to cancel their venues, leaving game developers scrambling to put together new digital announcements. That made things a lot harder for everyone to keep their fans up to date on their projects. While the pandemic continues to impact 2021, E3 is on the horizon again. This time, organizers have had time to prepare, and major influences on the game industry like Microsoft are sure to be there. However, that doesn't mean every big project from every big company will show up. Perfect Dark is one game that almost certainly won't rear its head at E3 2021.
Perfect Dark made huge waves when it was announced at The Game Awards 2020. It was a great capstone to all the big game announcements of 2020, considering how badly Perfect Dark fans wanted to see a revival of this long-dormant franchise. However, the adventures of Joanna Dark probably aren't destined to make an appearance at E3 this year. The truth is that the game is probably way to deep in development to have anything worth sharing. The Initiative could come forward with some small statement just to keep eyes on the game, but fans shouldn't expect a sweeping reveal of the Perfect Dark reboot's contents.
Microsoft's Long Con
One reason Perfect Dark probably isn't going to be at E3 has to do with Microsoft's current strategy for supporting the Xbox Series X. Fans have noticed that Microsoft is announcing very compelling titles like Avowed and Fable long before they're set to come out. It seems like Microsoft wants to generate longevity for the new Xbox by publicly planning its timeline of AAA exclusives, encouraging fans of various franchises and developers to stick with the Xbox Series X. Perfect Dark is no exception. Seeing how little The Initiative has shared about the game, it was likely announced to play into the waiting game Microsoft has settled into.
Even if it wasn't for the context of the Xbox Series X, signs point to Perfect Dark being relatively fresh in development. For one thing, Perfect Dark was revealed without The Initiative announcing a release date. If it can't publicly project a window for Perfect Dark's release yet, then odds are The Initiative has a lot more development ahead of it. Another clue to that point is that the trailer for the game was purely cinematic. That suggests that the reboot's gameplay isn't even in a presentable state yet.
Skipping E3
These factors add up to indicating that Perfect Dark isn't destined for E3 2021. There's a bright side to that, though. It's probably a good thing if The Initiative doesn't show up and try to show off Perfect Dark yet. The studio is only about two and a half years old, and it was pulled together by Microsoft specifically to create "AAAA" games. It won't be easy for The Initiative to live up to the tremendous pressure placed on it by its parent company's expectation of greatness that exceeds any other developer in the industry. The best thing that The Initiative can do to make sure Perfect Dark lives up to supposed AAAA standards is to take its time and avoid rushing it at all costs.
E3 will surely still be an exciting time, with or without Perfect Dark to talk about. Halo Infinite alone is liable to take up a ton of Microsoft's time, considering how badly Halo fans want to get their hands on the next entry in the series. E3 2021 is shaping up to be an exciting reunion for the game industry after an uncertain year for developers everywhere. It's a shame that Perfect Dark probably won't be there to celebrate with everyone, but that's alright. Both E3 2021 and Perfect Dark have bright futures ahead of them, even if they never cross paths.
Perfect Dark is in development.