"He said in a post on LinkedIn that when it comes to him leaving the studio, "the most obvious explanation is the correct one." The game, which was in the works under the working title Project Blackbird, was "the game I had waited my entire career to create, and having it canceled led to my resignation," he said. "My heart and thoughts are always with the impacted team members,"
"Firor did not elaborate any further on Project Blackbird. A report said it had been in some stage of development since 2018 and that it might have been a cross between Cyberpunk 2077 and Destiny. Following the game's cancellation and layoffs at the studio, some affected workers started new studios, including the employee-owned Sackbird Studios. "After years in AAA, we wanted the freedom to take smart risks"
Microsoft canceled an upcoming title at ZeniMax Online Studios in 2025, prompting longtime studio boss Matt Firor to resign. Firor wrote on LinkedIn that Project Blackbird, the working title of the canceled game, was "the game I had waited my entire career to create," and that its cancellation led to his resignation. The project reportedly had been in development since 2018 and may have mixed elements of Cyberpunk 2077 and Destiny. Layoffs followed the cancellation, and some affected staff formed new studios such as employee-owned Sackbird Studios. After 18+ years at ZeniMax, Firor is advising projects and investing in small teams and has not yet seriously contemplated starting a new studio. The cancellation was part of wider Xbox cuts including Everwild and Perfect Dark.
Read at GameSpot
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