Every Game Canceled This Past Week (June 30-July 4)

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Microsoft recently announced significant job cuts affecting approximately 4% of its workforce, which has unfortunately led to the cancellation of several eagerly awaited games that had been under development for years. This news, along with the closure of affected studios, is a sobering reminder of the challenges facing the gaming industry. While such layoffs are not uncommon, they always bring a sense of disappointment when they lead to studio shutdowns.

Within the broader Microsoft corporation, several smaller creative teams have been developing projects, but unfortunately, some of these projects may not be completed due to recent layoffs at Microsoft. It’s projected that this wave of job reductions will impact approximately 9,000 employees across various departments. While not all of these affected areas focus on video games, a substantial number of studios and game projects are included in this round of downsizing.

Every Video Game That Has Been Canceled Within the Past Week (June 30 – July 4)

Microsoft’s Biggest Cancellations Have Been in Development for Years

  • Perfect Dark remake by The Initiative
  • Rare’s Everwild
  • ZeniMax’s secret MMORPG

Among the list of cancellations that have left many gamers surprised is the remake of “Perfect Dark,” which was being developed by The Initiative. Not only was the game itself scrapped, but The Initiative as a studio was closed down as well. Originally unveiled with a teaser trailer during the 2020 Game Awards, the eagerly awaited “Perfect Dark” remake had been generating anticipation among gamers. Additionally, Rare’s “Everwild,” which has reportedly been in development for close to a decade, was first announced in 2019.

Gregg Mayles, director of “Banjo-Kazooie” and veteran Rare developer, is said to be leaving the company following the cancellation of “Everwild.” Meanwhile, ZeniMax’s secretive MMORPG project, code-named “Blackbird,” has been in development since 2018 according to a report by Jason Schreier. Details about “Blackbird” are scarce, but it was rumored to be a science fiction game. Given the success of ZeniMax Online Studios with “The Elder Scrolls Online,” it would have been intriguing to observe how they would approach a science fiction setting.

Romero Games and Techland Both Face Funding Cuts and Cancellations

It remains unclear whether the cancellations are related to Microsoft’s layoffs or not. The timing of Romero Games’ announcement, though, has sparked much speculation that they might be connected. As per co-founder Brenda Romero, the publisher of their upcoming project has withdrawn all financing. However, it should be noted that Romero did not disclose the name of the publisher, leaving it uncertain if Microsoft was the one funding the project.

Techland, creators of Dying Light, have recently called off development on two secretive projects. Although the details about these projects are unknown, speculation arises as their next venture is Dying Light: The Beast, leading some to ponder if it might be another Dying Light spin-off or an entirely new game concept.

Multiple studios under Microsoft’s ownership have experienced layoffs, though they remain operational. Among the affected are Raven Software (known for their work on Call of Duty), High Moon Studios, Sledgehammer Games, Turn 10 Studios (responsible for Forza Motorsport), and Halo Studios.

Beyond Warcraft Rumble, Blizzard will not provide extensive updates moving forward. However, minor bug fixes and patches will still be applied. Essentially, this signifies the end of new content being added. As for other games under development, we’ll have to wait and see if any are canceled.

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2025-07-04 20:05