Perfect Dark voice actor urges fans to speak up to save the game following its cancellation. Read on to learn more about their reactions and concerns after the game and studio's closure
Perfect Dark Actors' Reactions Following Cancellation
Urging Fans to Speak Up to Save Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark was one of the games that was cancelled following Microsoft’s layoffs, but the protagonist Joanna Dark’s actor, Alix Wilton Regan, urged fans to speak up if they wanted to save the game. In a Twitter (X) post on July 4, Regan said that a lot of people reached out to her about the possibility of Perfect Dark getting picked up by another studio.
She stated, "I HOPE WE LIVE IN A NICE WORLD." Regan was known for her roles in several video game titles, such as the Female Inquisitor in Dragon Age: Inquisition, Aya in Assassin’s Creed: Origins, Samantha Traynor in Mass Effect 3, and much more.
During the breakout of the news regarding the game’s cancellation and developer The Initiative’s shutdown, Regan expressed her empathy to those who are affected by the studio’s closure. She said on a Twitter (X) post on July 3, "It’s been an honour to work with the talents at The Initiative. My heart hurts for everyone affected by today. But like Joanna, we will all rise again."
The Constant Threat of Games Getting Cancelled
Another Perfect Dark actor also voiced his concerns about the game getting scrapped and the time they spent on it. Elias Toufexis posted on Twitter (X) on July 4 about the constant threat games are facing with these cancellations, and how it affects actors financially when a project suddenly ceases development.
Toufexis was cast in an unspecified role, but was best known for his work in multiple video games such as Adam Jensen in the Deus Ex series, Takkar in Far Cry Primal, Sam Coe in Starfield, and more. He stated, "I had a good amount of days of acting in Perfect Dark that just got scrapped. Thousands of dollars that I expected and counted on gone in a snap ...now every game I do as director or actor I wake up hoping it isn’t canceled."
Fans interpreted his tweet as the actors not getting paid after the game got canceled, to which he immediately clarified. In a separate tweet, Toufexis explained, "No no. The days I worked they pay me. They have to. But when you’re working on a game they "hold" you for x amount of days each month. (so I can schedule work around other games and shows)"
He looked back at the times when he was "held" and thought that he should have been earning instead. "You can’t help but look at the holds and think about the $ that would have been made," Toufexis said.
According to Xbox CEO Phil Spencer, in an email he sent to his staff on July 3, these unfortunate events are all part of the company’s goal to "make choices now for continued success in future years and a key part of that strategy is the discipline to prioritize the strongest opportunities." Despite the grim situation, fans remain hopeful that another company or studio may pick up Perfect Dark and continue its development.
Source:
Alix Wilton Regan Twitter (X) post on Saving Perfect Dark
Alix Wilton Regan Twitter (X) post on Joanna Dark
Elias Toufexis Twitter (X) post on Games Getting Cancelled\
Microsoft Makes Deep Job Cuts Across Xbox Division, Cancels Games
