Gamers are roasting Microsoft, Xbox, developer The Initiative, and Crystal Dynamics following gameplay reveal for Perfect Dark during the Xbox Games Showcase 2024.
A screenshot of Perfect Dark (2024), The Initiative
The companies released a gameplay reveal for their Perfect Dark reboot that sees agent Joanna Dark arrive in Garden City and she’s tasked on preventing an attack by a man named Carrington.
Following this gameplay reveal, players took issue with the character design of Joanna Dark noting they made her look more like a man than in previous versions of the franchise.
X user Mangalawyer mocked, “Perfect Dark transforms you into the ultimate secret agent. Joanna Dark’s perfectly symmetrical, masculine jawline makes her the ideal candidate for disguising herself as a man on the most dangerous missions. One day, she’s Joanna; the next, she’s Jonathan.”
Perfect Dark transforms you into the ultimate secret agent. Joanna Dark’s perfectly symmetrical, masculine jawline makes her the ideal candidate for disguising herself as a man on the most dangerous missions. One day, she’s Joanna; the next, she’s Jonathan. pic.twitter.com/hzh7YuaeTQ
— LearningTheLaw (@Mangalawyer) June 10, 2024
Former World of Warcraft Team Lead Mark Kern reacted to a side by side of the new design and 2005’s Perfect Dark Zero character design. He posted, “Again with the Jaw! Perfect Dark Zero.”
Again with the jaw!
Perfect Dark Zero. https://t.co/tzk81wf8qT
— Grummz (@Grummz) June 10, 2024
YouTuber Endymion wrote, “They modern audience’d the F*** out of Perfect Dark Zero bro what the fresh hell is this.”
They modern audience’d the FUCK out of Perfect Dark Zero bro what the fresh hell is this https://t.co/C1OxwjA6tk
— Endymion (@EndymionYT) June 9, 2024
YouTuber Melonie Mac wrote, “I will never forgive them for this, Joanna Dark gets the ‘modern audience’ treatment. The disrespect.”
I will never forgive them for this, Joanna Dark gets the “modern audience” treatment. The disrespect. pic.twitter.com/koukDTaa10
— Melonie Mac ✝️🎮🖤 (@MelonieMac) June 9, 2024
Comic book creator The Quaff wrote, “Shame they gender swapped Joanna. Why is Microsoft afraid of female leads?”
Shame they gender swapped Joanna. Why is Microsoft afraid of female leads?
— The Quaff (@RealQuaff) June 10, 2024
Novelist John A. Douglas also posted, “She looks like Duke Nukem in a Karen wig.”
She looks like Duke Nukem in a Karen wig pic.twitter.com/YfvU7sEr7f
— John A. Douglas (@BlkCrownAuthor) June 9, 2024
Michael Allred also wrote, “They must have hired the same consulting company as the Horizon Forbidden West developers. Never forget what they took from you.”
They must have hired the same consulting company as the Horizon Forbidden West developers.
Never forget what they took from you. pic.twitter.com/zLEctiieKc
— Michael Allred, Pro Human (@TheNooticer) June 9, 2024
Zippydsmlee wrote, “They replaced the main character with a man.”
They replaced the main character with a man.
— zippydsmlee (@zippydsmlee) June 10, 2024
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Character design was not the only criticism the game faced. YouTuber RazörFist wrote on X, “I confess. I didn’t read ‘Perfect Dark will become a Mirror’s Edge clone’ in my tea leaves this morning. I guess we ran out of successful franchises (which Perfect Dark ironically is) and lapped back around to mimiographing games that flopped, now?”
I confess.
I didn’t read “Perfect Dark will become a Mirror’s Edge clone” in my tea leaves this morning.
I guess we ran out of successful franchises (which Perfect Dark ironically is) and lapped back around to mimiographing games that flopped, now?https://t.co/AjBZ09wico
— RazörFist (@RAZ0RFIST) June 9, 2024
Lucas Raycevick also added, “Of all IPs to dress up Deus Ex as, Perfect Dark‘s a great pick, but I continue to be extremely skeptical of its presentation when 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 is so… bland.”
Of all IPs to dress up Deus Ex as, Perfect Dark’s a great pick, but I continue to be extremely skeptical of its presentation when 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 is so… bland. pic.twitter.com/Rq6Ga1mcuX
— Lucas Raycevick (@Raycevick) June 9, 2024
All of this comes in the wake of Xbox boss Phil Spencer confirming back in 2021 that the intentions for the reboot were to feature a female protagonist and offer modern opportunities.
In an interview with IGN, Spencer said, “I think it’s awesome for us. We can focus on a female protagonist in our lineup. We don’t have a lot of that in our first-party [lineup].”
He added, “I think Joanna offers a lot of modern opportunities that I love to see the team kind of focusing on, having a strong protagonist.”
A screenshot of Joanna Dark from Perfect Dark (2024), The Initiative
It also comes in the wake of Microsoft making public their Gaming For Everyone’s Product Inclusion Framework which requires developers to ask a series of questions:
- Are you reinforcing any negative gender stereotypes?
- Are you unnecessarily introducing gender & gender barriers into your code or design?
- Are you creating playable female characters that are equal in skill and ability to their male peers. Are your female characters equipped with clothing and armor that fits their tasks? Do they have exaggerated body proportions?
- When the story allows, do you show male characters who display a full range of emotions, including joy, sadness, and vulnerability?
A screenshot of Microsoft’s Product Inclusion Action: Help Customers Feel Seen
Microsoft’s Head of Gaming for Everyone & Sustainability Katy Jo Wright informed Games Industry that the framework is not compulsory telling the outlet, “The framework is not a checklist. It’s not a mandate. Even internally, it’s not that at all. It’s just… a way for you to get your game into the hands of more players in a meaningful way.”
However, the Help Customers Feel Seen Product Inclusion Action page does provide a checklist to achieve the goals developers come up with. The third step specifically states:
3. Create & surface content that depicts diverse characters, stories and creators
- Create playable characters that reflect the broader population. Review how identities represented on screen (gender identities, races, sexual orientations, ability status, ages, and body sizes) match up to the broader population. Make sure that characters are not tokenized or stereotyped based on their identities.
- Review how identities represented in your product such as gender, race, sexuality, nationality, cultural, ability, age, and size compare to the broader global player population. Be intentional about which identities are present and highlighted according to what’s right for your product and market.
- Make sure that characters are not tokenized or stereotyped based on their identities. No person or character can be a monolith to represent all people with that identity.
- Practice inclusive casting for any talent required to bring representation to life in your product.
- Validate your execution for your Inclusive Listening Systems (consultants/advisory councils, user research).
A screenshot of Microsoft’s Product Inclusion Action: Help Customers Feel Seen
What do you make of Joanna Dark’s new character design?