History of Perfect Dark in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: June 10, 2024

"Perfect Dark" is a first-person shooter video game released in 2000 for the Nintendo 64. Developed by Rare, the game follows agent Joanna Dark as she uncovers and thwarts an alien conspiracy orchestrated by the corporation dataDyne. Players engage in a campaign mode with various levels and objectives, along with multiplayer options including co-op and deathmatch modes against other players or AI bots.

1931: Agent X-27 Influence

Joanna Dark's character was also inspired by Agent X-27 from the 1931 film Dishonored. This was part of the developers' effort to draw from various strong female characters in media.

1965: Yoyodyne Influence

The name of the in-game company dataDyne was inspired by Yoyodyne from the 1965 novella The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon.

1983: Kim Kimberly Influence

The character Joanna Dark was influenced by Kim Kimberly from the 1983 interactive fiction game Snowball. This influence was part of a broader effort to create a strong female protagonist for Perfect Dark.

1990: La Femme Nikita Influence

The 1990 film La Femme Nikita also served as an inspiration for Joanna Dark's character in Perfect Dark, contributing to her portrayal as a femme fatale.

1997: Rare Plans to Develop a New Game

After the release of GoldenEye 007 in 1997, Rare initially planned to develop a game based on the James Bond sequel Tomorrow Never Dies. However, they were outbid by Electronic Arts, leading them to focus on what would become Perfect Dark.

1997: Development Begins Led by Martin Hollis

In 1997, the development of Perfect Dark began under the direction of Martin Hollis. Initially intended as a spiritual successor to GoldenEye 007, Perfect Dark shares several features with its predecessor and runs on an upgraded version of the GoldenEye game engine. Hollis led the project for the first fourteen months before leaving Rare.

1997: Air Force One Level Inspiration

The layout of the Air Force One level in Perfect Dark was inspired by the 1997 film of the same name. This was due to the limited reference material available to the development team.

September 1998: Key Developers Leave Rare

In September 1998, several key members of the Perfect Dark development team, including Hollis, left Rare. This significantly impacted the project, leading to a near complete staff turnover.

September 1998: Perfect Dark Officially Unveiled

Perfect Dark was officially unveiled at E3 in September 1998 as Nintendo's lead game.

1998: Incorporation of Science Fiction Elements

In 1998, the developers of Perfect Dark decided to incorporate a science fiction setting influenced by The X-Files, conspiracy theories, and works like Ghost in the Shell and Blade Runner. This decision shaped the game's theme, plot, and environments.

May 1999: Perfect Dark Showcased at E3

A more complete version of Perfect Dark was presented at E3 in May 1999, where the game's compatibility with the Game Boy Camera was announced.

August 1999: Perfect Dark at Nintendo Space World

Perfect Dark was showcased at Nintendo Space World in August 1999 alongside Rare's Donkey Kong 64 and Jet Force Gemini.

December 1999: Perfect Dark Release Pushed Back

Originally scheduled for a release in summer 1999, Perfect Dark's release date was pushed back to December 1999.

1999: Working Titles and Naming Inspiration

By 1999, working titles such as 'Covert Ops' and 'Alien Intelligence' were considered before settling on 'Perfect Dark.' The name 'Dark' was chosen to reflect the game's focus on killing, and the double slash symbol in the logo was inspired by Japanese writing.

1999: Counter-Operative Mode Inspiration

The concept for the Counter-Operative mode, where the opposing player can take control of another opponent, was inspired by the 1999 film The Matrix. This feature added a unique twist to the gameplay.

May 2000: Perfect Dark Released in North America

Perfect Dark was officially released in North America in May 2000.

May 2000: Perfect Dark Sales Success

Perfect Dark was the second best-selling game in May 2000 in North America.

June 2000: European Release of Perfect Dark

The European release of Perfect Dark followed shortly after the North American release, launching in June 2000.

October 2000: TimeSplitters Released

Free Radical Design, formed by former Rare developers, released TimeSplitters, a game with many similarites to Perfect Dark, in October 2000.

October 2000: Japanese Release of Perfect Dark

Perfect Dark was released in Japan in October 2000.

December 2000: Perfect Dark Joins Player's Choice

Perfect Dark was successful enough to join Nintendo's "Player's Choice" game selection in December 2000.

2000: Perfect Dark Launches on Nintendo 64

In 2000, Perfect Dark was released for the Nintendo 64. Developed and published by Rare, this first-person shooter follows agent Joanna Dark as she attempts to thwart an extraterrestrial conspiracy orchestrated by the rival corporation dataDyne. The game features a campaign mode and multiple multiplayer options, including co-operative and deathmatch settings with bots.

2000: Perfect Dark Wins Awards

Perfect Dark won several awards in 2000, including Best Nintendo 64 Game and Best Shooting Game from GameSpot.

2000: Critical Acclaim and Player's Choice Selection

Upon its 2000 release, Perfect Dark received critical acclaim for its graphics, AI, and multiplayer options, despite some criticism for its inconsistent frame rate. The game sold well and was eventually included in Nintendo's 'Player's Choice' game selection.

2001: BAFTA and Golden Satellite Award Wins

In 2001, Perfect Dark was honored with the BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Moving Images Award for 2000 and the Golden Satellite Award for Best Interactive Product. These accolades further cemented the game's status as a classic.

2001: Electronic Gaming Monthly Recognition

In 2001, Perfect Dark was ranked 65th on Electronic Gaming Monthly's list of Top 100 Games of All Time.

2001: Rare Wins BAFTA Award

Rare received a BAFTA award for their work on Perfect Dark in 2001.

2002: Microsoft Acquires Rare

Microsoft acquired Rare in 2002.

March 2003: Sales Figures Released

As of March 2003, Perfect Dark sold almost 1.3 million copies in the United States and 77,000 copies in Japan.

2005: Perfect Dark Zero Released

A prequel to Perfect Dark, Perfect Dark Zero, was released in 2005 as a launch title for the Xbox 360.

2006: Advanced Lighting Features

In 2006, Martin Hollis commented on the advanced lighting features of Perfect Dark, which included dynamic illumination from gunfire and explosions, and the ability to shoot out lights to create darkened areas. These features made the game more immersive despite hardware limitations.

2006: Hollis Reflects on Ambitious Light and Dark Gameplay

In 2006, Martin Hollis reflected on the ambitious initial plans for Perfect Dark, which included significant gameplay differences between light and dark. Although some features like the flashlight were cut due to hardware limitations, the game still showcased advanced lighting effects.

2006: Nintendo Power Recognition

In 2006, Nintendo Power included Perfect Dark in their list of Top 200 Nintendo games.

December 2007: US Sales Figures Updated

By December 2007, total sales in the United States reached 1.5 million.

2007: Critical Acclaim and Recognition

Perfect Dark received significant recognition in 2007, with IGN ranking it 86th on their Top 100 Games of All Time list and Edge placing it 28th on their 100 Best Videogames list.

2009: Perfect Dark Retrospective by Edge

In 2009, Edge, in a retrospective analysis of Perfect Dark, recognized the game's innovative ideas but found some elements of the game to be dated.

2009: Official Nintendo Magazine Recognition

In 2009, Perfect Dark was ranked 37th on Official Nintendo Magazine's list of 100 Best Nintendo Games.

2010: Perfect Dark Remaster Release

A remastered version of Perfect Dark was released in 2010 for Xbox 360 on the Xbox Live Arcade. Developed by 4J Studios, it featured improved frame rate, enhanced graphics, and online multiplayer.

2010: Perfect Dark Remastered for Xbox 360

A remastered version of Perfect Dark, featuring enhanced graphics and online multiplayer, was released in 2010 for the Xbox 360. This updated version aimed to bring the classic game to a new generation of players.

2011: Lifetime Sales Revealed

In 2011, it was revealed that lifetime sales for Perfect Dark had reached 3.2 million units.

2015: Den of Geek Praises Perfect Dark

Den of Geek published an article in 2015 that praised Perfect Dark's contributions to the first-person shooter genre.

2015: Inclusion in Rare Replay

The Perfect Dark remaster was included in the Rare Replay video game compilation for Xbox One in 2015.

2022: Perfect Dark Source Code Decompilation

In 2022, a fan named Ryan Dwyer successfully decompiled the original ROM image of Perfect Dark into C source code.

2023: Unofficial PC Port Release

An unofficial PC port of Perfect Dark was released in 2023, made possible by the previous year's source code decompilation.

2023: Game Setting: Interstellar War in 2023

Set in an alternate 2023, Perfect Dark features an interstellar war between the Maians and the Skedar. On Earth, the Carrington Institute and dataDyne Corporation vie for dominance, with espionage and alien technology playing key roles in the story.