Dark Void was a fantastic Double-A hidden gem developed by Airtight Games and published by Capcom in 2010 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with a PC version following shortly after. While the game introduced two genuinely interesting mechanics: a fully functional jetpack and an ambitious vertical cover system, it ultimately failed to generate the commercial success Capcom had hoped for. As a result, all plans for a sequel were quietly scrapped.
That outcome is particularly unfortunate given how turbulent and imaginative Dark Void’s development history was. Before it became the jetpack-driven shooter we know today, the game went through several radically different conceptual phases.
According to Jim Deal, the project’s earliest pitch leaned heavily into an Indiana Jones-inspired adventure. Players would traverse exotic environments using motorcycles, jeeps, horses, and even airships, with a grappling hook allowing them to latch onto surfaces and swing their way forward. It was less about aerial combat and more about pulpy exploration and cinematic traversal.
Pre-conceptualisation artist Stephen Daniele later revealed that, before the jetpack ever entered the picture, Dark Void was built around a shadowy enemy faction known as The Invisible Hand. A technologically advanced organisation clearly echoing the iconography of Nazi-era villains. The narrative framed them as an existential threat, one that needed to be dismantled before their influence spread further.
Visually, the game was also very different in its infancy. Daniele noted that the original setting was intended to be the Mediterranean or North Africa, with heavy artistic influence drawn from Egypt in particular. Ancient ruins, desert landscapes, and sun-scorched architecture shaped much of the early concept art. At this point in development, the game was a stylised shooter similar to a Pixar film. However, as the project moved forward, the developer eventually opted for a realistic look.
Only after multiple iterations did the jetpack flight system emerge. A decision that would ultimately define Dark Void. It is worth noting that Dark Void began development in early 2007 as a spiritual successor to Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge because, at the time, Fasa Studios wanted to implement some on-foot third-person interaction, but unfortunately, it didn’t happen. Dark Void seemed like the right opportunity.
Dark Void Content
Sketches and Early Prototype:
Don’t be confused if you recognise the image from the prologue. There’s a perfectly good reason for it. According to Stephen Daniele, Capcom wanted Airtight Games to adopt an approach similar to God of War: begin the game by handing the player almost every tool upfront, then gradually teach them how everything works.
Because this opening sequence functioned purely as a tutorial, the developers placed it at the very start of the game. At the time, nobody realised they were actually controlling an early iteration of Will Grey! A small but fascinating detail that only makes sense in hindsight.
Videos:
A 1-hour chat with Stephen Daniele about the early concepts of Dark Void and some of the cut content, like the Motorcycle!
Images from the 2008 E3 build
Magazine Coverage With Early Preview:
A fan-documentary of Dark Void covering the early codenames and more details on the initial concept of the game and the sequel.
Credit: Huge thanks to Stephen Daniele for the early sketches and details that have gone unknown for 15 years!
Alpha Footage of Dark Void
Before Dark Void soared into the sky, and Will Grey kicked ass, the game had a completely different vision, graphics and, of course, character. In this early phase of development, the game had an entirely different name. The graphics were very reminiscent of a Pixar film, as shared by Stephen Daniele in a previous interview. However, Jose Perez III went on to reveal that some of the ideas in the early iteration of Dark Void were already in place way before Just Cause released. This iteration had a parachute, a grappling hook, a motorcycle (with guns!), aeroplanes which you could hijack anytime you wanted, and so many ideas.
In many ways, the alpha footage of Dark Void had glimpses of the real spiritual successor to Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, because it included everything the developer wanted to show in the cancelled Crimson Skies 3.
Videos:
The alpha footage of Dark Void was revealed 15 Years later!
Interview with Jose Perez about Tales from the Black Cloud and other interesting facts!
Credit: Huge thanks to Jose Perez III for sharing a lot of never-before-heard details that have gone unheard of for 15 years!
