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

Microsoft’s viscious lay-offs across the games industry has seen the closure of The Initiative and its Perfect Dark reboot, the cancellation of Everwild, and even mass lay-offs at John Romero’s Romero Games. However, one of the most upsetting cancellations is the loss of Elder Scrolls Online developer Zenimax Online Studios’ unannounced MMORPG and the departure of studio lead Matt Firor.

Elder Scrolls Online devs’ Project Blackbird had great playtest reception

Known as Project Blackbird, the unannounced sci-fi MMORPG has been in development since 2017. While not much is known about the project, it’s claimed the Elder Scrolls Online studio’s next MMO would be a first-person shooter with driveable vehicles and has been the passion project of Firor and others at the studio.

Following news of the game’s cancellation, Xbox insider SneakerSO—who accurately leaked Xbox’s multiplatform plans—explained on forum NeoGAF that the project wasn’t cancelled for quality reasons. In fact, the canned MMORPG was “f*****g incredible” and play tests for the project were very positive.

“When it begins to come out just how fucking incredible the title he was working on was that got axed today…” the leaker said of Firor’s MMO. “That game had some of the best reactions from folks who played it as playtest for an MP-focused title that I’d heard from in years. It takes an absolute truck load to have folks heap praise on an MP playtest in modern times. This game would’ve been spectacular.”

Afterwards, the leaker added that you’ll often hear how great cancelled projects are without any proof they actually are. However, the renowned Xbox leaker explained that this time the MMO was actually shaping up very well.

“Typically, in situations where publicly-known games get cancelled, there’s this sense in the fanbase of ‘the thing we didn’t get might’ve been so incredible’, and finger-pointing amongst execs who just didn’t get it,” the leaker continued. “FOMO and all that. Well, this is one of the cancelled games that, by literally every account, sounded like it would’ve been a slam dunk in literally every sense. Felt like I should make an edit to clarify a little further.”

This statement has since been backed by trusted games journalist Jason Schreier saying, “I think the general public might have said ‘not another looter shooter’ but we’re not just talking about QA testers here, we’re talking about about MS execs being blown away by it. And this isn’t a project like Perfect Dark or Everwild where it was in development hell.”

Hours after the cancellation of Project Blackbird and the studio’s associated lay-offs, studio lead Matt Firor left the Elder Scrolls Online studio. “”After more than 18 years leading ZeniMax Online Studios, I’ll be stepping away later this month,” the studio lead said.

Firor’s absence from the studio will be filled by Executive Producer Susan Kath, Game Director Rich Lambert and the new studio head Jo Burba. The team is dedicated to future updates for The Elder Scrolls Online at the time of writing.