Matt Firor, known for his influential work at ZeniMax Online Studios and as a key player behind titles like Dark Age of Camelot and The Elder Scrolls Online, recently shed light on his departure from the company. After months of silence, Firor confirmed that the cancellation of his dream project, Project Blackbird, spurred his decision to leave ZeniMax. Although no longer leading any new initiatives, he remains in touch, offering advice to former colleagues who have embarked on new ventures following their layoffs.
The Fallout from Project Blackbird’s Cancellation
Project Blackbird had been a labor of love, under development for over seven years, with approximately 200 developers assigned to the project. It was meant to be an innovative addition to the gaming world, based on a brand-new intellectual property. The abrupt cancellation, however, was part of a larger wave of layoffs mandated by Microsoft, aimed at reallocating resources toward AI investments. Firor’s departure stemmed directly from this cancellation, as creating Project Blackbird was a lifelong ambition.
Despite the disappointing news, insights from Lead Graphics Programmer Alex Tardif and other sources suggested that the game was on a promising path with a new engine gaining stability. Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, reportedly enjoyed a playtest session so much that it was difficult to stop him from continuing. The game’s potential was further highlighted by journalist Jason Schreier, who was impressed with what he saw in a video demonstration.
The Game That Could Have Been
Project Blackbird was envisioned as a unique online third-person sci-fi shooter/action game. Set on the exoplanet Soteria, it featured three distinct environments: an icy side, a sun-scorched side, and a habitable twilight zone known as The Twilight Band. Players would step into the shoes of Revenants, operatives aligned with various alien syndicates. The game promised cooperative missions for groups of 4 to 6 players, where they could earn contracts and build their reputation within the game’s sci-fi noir atmosphere.
While Project Blackbird will never see the light of day, hope remains for fans eager to see what comes next. Many of the talented developers impacted by the layoff have regrouped to form Sackbird Studios, where they are currently working on a brand-new project.