Take-Two Launches New 2K Studio Under Leadership of Former The Initiative Executives

Take-Two Interactive has appointed Darren Gallagher and Brian Horton, formerly of The Initiative, to helm a newly established studio under the 2K umbrella. Gallagher and Horton will be at the forefront of this new endeavor, following the dissolution of their previous studio. Horton assumes the role of vice president and head of creative, while Gallagher takes on the position of senior vice president and studio head. Although details are scarce at present, 2K has expressed enthusiasm for sharing updates on the studio's progress in the future. On LinkedIn, Gallagher expressed his excitement about the new studio, characterizing it as an ambitious undertaking unlike any he has previously undertaken. Gallagher was the founder and leader of The Initiative, which was collaborating with Crystal Dynamics on the Perfect Dark reboot prior to its closure. Horton served as creative director at Microsoft, overseeing the creative vision and execution of The Initiative during this project. The closure of The Initiative and the cancellation of Perfect Dark were part of a broader restructuring effort by Microsoft, which resulted in the elimination of approximately 9,000 positions across the company. There were reports that Take-Two was in discussions to provide funding and publication for Perfect Dark after The Initiative's closure. However, after two months of negotiations with multiple parties, the parties involved were unable to reach an agreement regarding long-term ownership of the Perfect Dark franchise. In September 2025, Gallagher announced his departure from Xbox, describing his tenure as an incredible journey that concluded with the wind-down of Perfect Dark and The Initiative. He expressed gratitude to Xbox for the opportunity, to partners for their support, and to the community for their belief in the project they were creating.