The Initiative shows off Xbox boss Phil Spencer playing its unannounced first-party game

The Initiative has teased another behind-the-scenes update about its unannounced Xbox game. The new first-party studio welcomed Xbox boss Phil Spencer back to its offices on Tuesday for a chance to discuss the overall direction of Xbox, as well as to share an image of Spencer playing The Initiative's mysterious new project.

[Obscure_Observer]

A new Perfect Dark, perhaps? O.o

[MasterCornholio]

I think it's probably a new IP.

[DarXyde]

If it's Perfect Dark, that would be profoundly underwhelming in my opinion.

Using a "AAAA" studio to develop an FPS when they still have the primary studio who made the original games is probably as bad for morale as Disney animators in the 90s watching all of their painstakingly-crafted frames remade using CGI. It's just not good optics and pretty insulting. Many of those people left, but imagine not being trusted to handle your own creation. If they willingly say they don't know what they're doing, that's one thing, but I imagine that would be a bit of a gut punch otherwise.

Fortunately, I SERIOUSLY doubt that is the case.
It really should be a new IP. Anything less is kind of underwhelming from a newly created studio that's supposed to be this grand display of talent and synergy.

[Atom666]

When or if Perfect Dark returns, I do think it'll be third person. At some point, they will reintroduce the IP and the world. You look at the resumes of the people forming that team, and I can see it being a 3rd person, narrative driven, action/stealth sci fi game of some kind.

The tough part for MS is that for everyone who shares your opinion, there's someone else asking to revisit an old IP from the vault.

The only way to come close to pleasing both groups would be a reimagining of an old IP. That may be the case here.

I think new IPs will mostly come from the acquired studios.

[1Victor]

Nice 👍thank you I haven’t laughed like this in a while pots calling the kettles black or donkey calling rabbits long ears 😂 🤣 😂

[skiggy34]

I absolutely agree. Let someone else make that game. I want this company to make a witcher 3 / God of War style game..

[mark_parch]

looking forward to finding out more later this year

[Obscure_Observer]

Matt Booty teased the reveal at this years E3. :)

[King_Noctis]

I believe some people here are having meltdowns judging from the all the disagrees on this article.

[Relientk77]

The game is obviously Dr. Pepper Simulator. Soda in the picture gives it away.

[Stanjara]

Pepsi man 2

[Silly Mammo]

Reboot of Cool Spot 7-UP mascot game.

[Chevalier]

Your onto something with their ties to Xbox, NFL and the Pepsi half time show and now Dr. Pepper being a Pepsi product. So maybe it will be a Soda Football league game.....

[RangerWalk267]

This isn't Perfect Dark. I'll bet a months salary it's a new ip

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

You'd hope so - it's the only way forward.

[King_Noctis]

So no company should ever make sequel to their games?

You’ve been very active on this article’s comment section.

[mark_parch]

Phils tweet and things he has said in the past point towards a re-imagining of an old ip.
Rand did a good video on it.
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[BillyG0AT]

Hey I'll take that bet! Providing you're one of those people who makes like $20,000 a month on this site?

[Bronxs15]

Damn. The other guy besides Phil in the picture looks pretty proud of his work lol

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

It's a photo op for the world to see, nothing candid about it - of course he's happy.

[froy402]

Phil don't look too happy though.... .... ..

I wonder what's going through his mind....

...(O SHT WE ARE SO FCKD)...... then tries to hide it.... yay fuunn.....😂🤣

[TheEnigma313]

Hopefully it's real and not just a photo op

[Italiano1234567]

He looks thrilled. Look at his face lol

[rainslacker]

Think I'd rather see the game they're working on than the expressions Phil makes when playing it. We see enough of Phil already.

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

Nah man - they revealed series x nearly 6 weeks ago and still haven't shown any gameplay of ANY launch title.

Confidence must be sky high.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

@Old yeah because they're gonna reveal all their games before E3. Where have you been?

[rainslacker]

Not saying they need to show the game. Just saying I'd rather see that than Spencer's facial expressions. I can quite confidently say that, for the most part, this would be true of anything involving a game, as reactions videos(or pics in this case) are probably the lowest form of entertainment when it comes to gaming social media.

[Obscure_Observer]

@xX-oldboy-Xx

"Confidence must be sky high."

It is. They have plenty of reasons to be. SX will packed with first party games.

Flight Simulator
Hellblade II
Halo Infinite
Project Mara
Everwild

All those games whithout mention the upcoming/ununnounced:

Forza 8
State of Decay 3
New AAA RPG IP from Playground.
New AAA RPG IP from Obsidian.
New AAA RPG IP from InXile
New AAA game from The Initiative
New (rumored) fantasy RPG from Moon Studio

[Dragonscale]

He was thrilled over cd3 and sot. Means nothing lol.

[Vasto]

Perfect Dark rebooted to an open world action rpg.

[Father Murder X]

Dude you might be on to something there. Hell of an idea!!!!

[mark_parch]

I would rather have a perfect dark rebooted to a 3rd person action stealth game similar to splinter cell

[AngelicIceDiamond]

Man these guys work fast. A perfect Dark reboot sounds compelling. A AAA third person action cyber punk futuristic world. I would throw money at that. I'm more than welcome to have a new ip. In fact I prefer a new ip. A brand new AAA franchise that's just compelling as the first Halo or Gears when they were new ip's. MS really needs that high caliber must buy to generate excitement for something new and fresh.

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

So you agree with what I said above? Good to see buddy.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

I'm open to both new IP and a complete reboot to Perfect Dark. But I mainly want a new IP.

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

Gotta be a new ip - ms has to start having faith in it's studios.

[Automatic79]

Looking forward to what The Iniative has to offer.

[TheHateTheyGive]

Double talking phil loves to talk talk talk, all smoke and mirrors. Would it of killed them to name the game he's playing?

[AngelicIceDiamond]

Umm this is TI making an update but Phil just happens to be in it. Because you know hes kinda sorta the boss of Xbox that's what he does. Yes it would its called NDA. Nobody's not tryna get fired over what a fanboy wants over the internet.

[King_Noctis]

Or maybe it is still in development stage and they aren’t ready to announce it yet? Or maybe they just want to tease it to build up excitement for its inevitable announcement?

Yeah I know, these marketing concepts doesn’t apply to your thinking, especially if the games are from MS or Nintendo.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

Is this gonna be a whole other year of Phil laces up his sneakers "articles"?

[Axonometri]

Ha ha.. I thought it said first party game.

[King_Noctis]

MS is ready to announce Super Master Chief Party.

[Axonometri]

They could try a MS Battle Mash but not so sure about the roster lineup.

[Smokehouse]

LMAO he’s not even pretending to have fun. I don’t know if I would have posted that. One of the worst teasers I have seen but I have hope for their potential anyways.

[King_Noctis]

What should he had done? Smiling and grinning from ear to ear while jumping for joy and giving each of the staff 100k bonus for making the game?

What a ridiculous statement.

[Smokehouse]

No, but why would you post that picture? “Here’s a picture of my plain faced boss playing the game he paid for” It doesn’t do much for hype.

The only interesting part about this tweet is the comment section zooming in on his glasses reflection trying to get him fired lol.

[mark_parch]

@Smokehouse
I imagine it's simply to let people know the game is in a playable state without actually revealing what the game is. It's clearly worked because people are talking about it and what it could be.

[Atanasrikard]

Idiot fanboys read way too much in to things, news at 11.

[AK91]

So no actual gameplay footage then?

[King_Noctis]

What is the sudden obsession with "gaemplay footage" ? When they finally show the footage, what else are you gonna fault them for? Not giving exact release date along with the footage?

[2ndhandcorn]

Sweet look forward to finding out more.

[FullDiveDerail]

Hopefully its as good as Crackdown 3 or State of Decay 2

[Az1ner]

That's wrong.

[Weapon_of_choice]

Xbox is like betamax, great hardware but all the good stuff is on that other system

[ZwVw]

Hoping this doesn't get canceled, seeing as how this is Phil we're talking about.

Over a year in advanced to any official gameplay footage being show to the public, Phil was talking about how he was playing early build of Scalebound and having a blast. We all know how eventually ending up going..

[DrRobotnik]

Why does Phil Spencer always look like he's drunk.

[Az1ner]

I can't wait to see what this is. I will be happy with either a new ip or s reboot of perfect dark in 3rd person in a cybernetic future. Sneaking around with all kinds of crazy tech. Sam Fischer style.

[Thundercat77]

A lot of weight is on this studio. After all the hype and all the "dream team" employees working there, their first game better be something spectacular.

[Positivelypositive]

Its like the sony RIDGED RACER!! meme on PSP or Vita or whatever that game was on. OOOOoooo, the next Fifa! Until I see gameplay it didn't happen. (I hope its an amazing new IP. We need more NEW IPs)

[Donnie81]

I’m ready to see what they are working on

[andydalum]

I don't want to hear about an xbox game that isn't out yet period unless you have a release date to go with it. Your having a hard enough time moving exclusives with your player base as is. I'd pull a Bethesda and be like boom we are dropping Fallout 4 in 6 months or whatever it was. Just my two cents