In 2025, Microsoft canceled an upcoming title at The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios, and it has now come to light that studio boss Matt Firor resigned because of this.
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.
It’s always disappointing to hear about a cancellation, especially for a game that many were looking forward to. Hopefully, the team at ZeniMax Online can channel their creativity into future projects. Change can lead to new opportunities!
I completely agree; it’s tough to see a project fans were excited about come to an end. It’s interesting to think about how this cancellation might impact the future of other Bethesda projects, especially with the ongoing developments in their existing games.
It really is disappointing, especially considering the potential this project had to expand the Elder Scrolls universe. Fans were looking forward to new storylines and gameplay mechanics that could have brought fresh experiences to the franchise. It’s a reminder of how challenging game development can be in such a competitive industry.
I completely agree! It’s a real missed opportunity for the Elder Scrolls universe to explore new narratives and gameplay mechanics. It would have been fascinating to see how they could have integrated multiplayer elements with the rich lore of the series.
Absolutely, it’s disappointing to see such potential go unrealized. The Elder Scrolls universe has so much rich lore that could have been expanded in fresh ways. It’s a shame we won’t get to see how they might have brought new characters and stories to life in that MMO setting.