Overview
- Matt Firor detailed the decision in a MinnMax interview published Tuesday, calling the cancellation of ZeniMax Online’s unannounced MMO a missed opportunity.
- He said Microsoft targeted the project after the Activision Blizzard purchase because its large upfront spend on a new engine stood out on the books.
- Firor described Blackbird as a sci-fi online loot-shooter built to run on a bespoke engine that would speed future content updates and reduce long-term support costs.
- Reporting says development began by 2018 with over 200 developers on it by 2022 and roughly 300 contributing by March 2025, months before Xbox halted the game.
- Firor confirmed he resigned over the decision, while union statements said some staff were left in limbo, and coverage places the cut alongside wider Xbox cancellations like Everwild and Perfect Dark.