Former ZeniMax Online Founder Confirms He Resigned Because Xbox Killed Project Blackbird

Matt Firor, the erstwhile workplace caput and laminitis of ZeniMax Online Studios, has confirmed his resignation from the institution arsenic a nonstop effect of the cancelation of the studio's unannounced game, Project Blackbird.

In a LinkedIn station today, Firor reflected connected the past twelvemonth and confirmed his departure backmost successful July, which had already been rumored aft helium stepped down from his enactment relation past year. "Project Blackbird was the crippled I had waited my full vocation to create, and having it canceled led to my resignation. My bosom and thoughts are ever with the impacted squad members, galore of whom I had worked 20+ years with, and each of whom were the astir dedicated, amazingly talented radical of developers successful the industry."

Firor besides made wide helium is not progressive successful immoderate of the projects that person been started by erstwhile ZeniMax Online members who were laid disconnected from the institution astir this time. He added that helium is advising immoderate of them "informally" and confirmed they were "in bully hands."

He concluded by stating that portion helium doesn't cognize what he'll bash next, he's presently some advising immoderate projects and startups unofficially, arsenic good arsenic investing successful immoderate tiny teams. "But I person not yet earnestly contemplated spinning up a caller improvement studio."

Project Blackbird was an unannounced MMORPG that was successful improvement astatine ZeniMax Online Studios, but was canceled by Xbox successful the summertime of 2025 arsenic a portion of the layoff of hundreds of individuals astatine Xbox Game Studios, and thousands Microsoft-wide. Blackbird would person been a marque new, sci-fi IP that had been successful improvement since 2018. In July, sources speaking to IGN told america that the task was going good and was astir to determination into afloat accumulation with Xbox's support to standard up the team. Blackbird's cancelation led to the layoffs of each subordinate of the team.

Firor founded ZeniMax Online Studios nether ZeniMax Media successful 2007 aft 10 years astatine Mythic Entertainment, wherever helium was a founding employee. There, helium oversaw the instauration of The Elder Scrolls Online, which launched successful 2014 and continues to beryllium supported, with the astir caller large enlargement Gold Road releasing successful January 2024. Firor was besides successful complaint erstwhile genitor institution ZeniMax Media was acquired by Microsoft successful 2021.

Following the cancelation of Blackbird, ZeniMax Online Studios remains successful operation, continuing enactment connected The Elder Scrolls Online nether the enactment of Joseph Burba, a 13-year seasoned of the studio.

Rebekah Valentine is simply a elder newsman for IGN. Got a communicative tip? Send it to [email protected].