ZeniMax Online Studios’ senior producer Chris Linn has officially confirmed the cancellation of the much-anticipated MMORPG in a LinkedIn post. This news follows the announcement that president Matt Firor will be departing the studio later this month. Firor, who has led ZeniMax Online Studios since its inception in 2007, will be succeeded by Jo Burba. Burba will join a leadership team that includes Elder Scrolls Online executive producer Susan Kath and game director Rich Lambert.
“Together, this leadership team has spearheaded many of ESO’s biggest ideas and expansions and will continue to make this game something we’re all proud of…” said Firor in a message shared on ZOS’ Twitter. “There are many more stories to be told, adventures to be had, and I know this amazing community will carry that shared legacy and success forwards.”
In a related development, sources indicate that Microsoft has officially cancelled an MMORPG under development at ZeniMax Online Studios, known for The Elder Scrolls Online, as part of the company’s broader layoffs. This information, reported by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, comes amid similar updates regarding the cancellation of Rare’s Everwild, suggesting a significant number of projects are being shelved as part of these cuts, although Microsoft has yet to comment on the matter.
The cancelled ZeniMax Online Studios project, codenamed “Blackbird,” had reportedly been in the works since 2018. This would have marked ZOS’s second game since its foundation, with the first being Elder Scrolls Online, which has seen numerous updates and expansions over the past decade. While little information about Blackbird surfaced during its development, ZeniMax Online Studios did post job openings in 2019 announcing plans for a new game engine.
“We’ve learned a lot bringing the world of The Elder Scrolls to life, and it’s time for us to take those lessons and build a new AAA IP,” stated a careers page on ZOS’ website at the time. “The vision for our next game is grand in every sense of the word, and that’s why we’re developing a new engine to support the needs of the project and studio. Because we’re in early pre-production, this is the perfect time to join us and make your mark on an incredible new project.”
The cancellation of Blackbird raises disappointment among those who were eager to see its potential. Although some fans of the Elder Scrolls series may not have been drawn to ESO, the game has developed a loyal player base and continued to evolve over the years, much like its counterpart Fallout 76.
As the gaming community processes the impact of the cancellation, it’s essential to acknowledge the human aspect of the layoffs. Schreier highlighted in a follow-up that the situation has been disordered, stating, “some employees at Zenimax Online Studios are now watching their Slack accounts abruptly get locked out. No message from HR, no word on whether they still have a job, just an ominous Slack deactivation.”
