Xbox’s Canceled Project Ranger Was Meant To Challenge Uncharted

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Back in 2013, Microsoft gave a quick preview of a spy game called Project Ranger, being developed by Blue Tusk Studios (later known as The Collective). The game was canceled more than ten years ago, but recent information reveals it was intended to be Xbox’s version of the Uncharted series.

Liam Robertson’s Did You Know Gaming recently detailed the history of Project Ranger, a game Microsoft and Black Tusk Studios once had big plans for. The game, revealed with a short teaser in Shanghai, was envisioned as a third-person action shooter – described as a blend of “Uncharted” and a spy thriller – with missions taking place in cities worldwide.

The game’s creators drew inspiration from action movies like Mission: Impossible and James Bond, particularly incorporating Bond-style gadgets for the player to use. Initially, they explored adding support for the Kinect motion sensor, including voice chat with a character who would offer guidance. However, these features would also have been accessible using standard controls.

Despite an interesting idea, the report suggests the game always faced challenges. It was eventually canceled in 2014 when Microsoft bought the Gears of War franchise and redirected The Collective to focus solely on that series.

The planned remake of Perfect Dark was intended to be similar to other games in the series, but Microsoft canceled it earlier this year during company-wide layoffs. The game was being worked on by two studios, The Initiative and Crystal Dynamics, but The Initiative has since closed, and Crystal Dynamics has also had layoffs. Discussions to save the project with Take-Two Interactive reportedly failed because the companies couldn’t agree on who would own the rights to the Perfect Dark franchise.

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2025-10-07 14:39