Action RPG

Elder Scrolls Online devs’ scrapped MMO was reportedly “f*****g incredible” that should’ve been a “slam dunk”, but Microsoft gutted it anyway

BBG News

Microsoft’s severe job cuts in the gaming sector have resulted in the shutdown of The Initiative, delaying their Perfect Dark reboot, the shelving of Everwild, and significant redundancies at John Romero’s Romero Games. One of the most disappointing outcomes is the scrapping of an unnamed MMORPG project by Zenimax Online Studios, the studio behind Elder Scrolls Online, and the departure of its director Matt Firor.

Elder Scrolls Online devs’ Project Blackbird had great playtest reception

As a dedicated gamer, I’ve been eagerly anticipating Project Blackbird, an uncharted sci-fi MMORPG that’s been under wraps since 2017. Although details are scarce, whispers suggest that the team behind Elder Scrolls Online will be venturing into first-person shooter territory with this one, complete with driveable vehicles. For the enthusiasts at Firor and me, it’s been a labor of love since its inception.

After the announcement of the game’s termination, Xbox insider SneakerSO – who correctly predicted Xbox’s multiplatform strategies – stated on forum NeoGAF that the decision to cancel the project wasn’t due to quality issues. In fact, the cancelled MMORPG was described as “mind-blowing” and feedback from play tests for the project was highly favorable.

Later on, the source mentioned that it’s common to hear praise for abandoned projects with no evidence of their quality. Nevertheless, the well-known Xbox leaker clarified that in this case, the MMO was indeed showing promising progress.

Normally, when popular games are cancelled, fans often feel a sense of disappointment, thinking about what could have been an amazing experience. This feeling is accompanied by blame-shifting among executives who didn’t seem to understand the potential success of the game. This is one of those cancelled games that, according to everyone involved, would have been a resounding success in every aspect. I thought it was worth clarifying a bit more.

Following the termination of Project Blackbird and the subsequent job cuts at the studio, the head of the Elder Scrolls Online studio, Matt Firor, announced his departure, stating, “I’ve been at the helm of ZeniMax Online Studios for over 18 years, and I will be moving on later this month.

In the interim while Firor is away, the duties will be handled by Executive Producer Susan Kath, Game Director Rich Lambert, and the newly appointed studio head Jo Burba. At this moment, the team remains committed to providing updates for The Elder Scrolls Online.

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2025-07-03 16:10

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