Footage From Cancelled Zenimax MMO Has Leaked Online

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Footage from Project Blackbird, an online multiplayer game Microsoft canceled, recently appeared on social media about six months after the project was shut down. The game was being developed by Zenimax Online Studios, known for The Elder Scrolls Online, before Microsoft decided to cancel it.

Developed starting in 2018, Project Blackbird was planned as an online, third-person shooter and action role-playing game, drawing ideas from space games like Warframe and Destiny 2. While details were scarce during its development, Eric Whelpley, a former server engineer at Zenimax Online, spoke highly of the game. He described Project Blackbird as “pretty spectacular” and believed players would have loved it if it had been completed and released.

Project Blackbird Footage Leaks Six Months After Its Demise

Microsoft has canceled Project Blackbird, along with other titles like the Perfect Dark remake and Everwild. Despite this, a two-minute video showcasing the game was leaked on Twitter by eXtas1stv. The video appears to have been intended to demonstrate the game’s lighting. It shows a dark, futuristic city with soldiers interacting with alien characters. While the footage doesn’t include character animations, it does highlight neon signs and a rail car system. Details like mist on the windows and soft shadows add to the atmosphere. The game engine used for Project Blackbird’s development remains unknown.

Even though there weren’t any actual gameplay clips, the lighting they showed off for Project Blackbird really made it seem like the game was still being actively developed before Microsoft canceled it. Basically, Project Blackbird was one of the projects that got cut when Microsoft had those big layoffs in July 2025 – around 9,000 people lost their jobs after smaller cuts earlier in the year. It wasn’t just one studio either; the layoffs hit Xbox Game Studios and all its companies, including Zenimax Online Studios. Actually, Zenimax Online’s founder, Matt Firor, left shortly after Project Blackbird got the axe. It’s kinda wild because Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the company was doing great, even after all that. A lot of people think Microsoft was trying to replace some workers with AI, which might have been a big reason for the layoffs.

Project Blackbird’s Cancellation Still Lingers

After the unexpected cancellation of Project Blackbird, speculation spread online about why it was stopped. One popular theory suggested that work on Fallout 5 contributed to the decision. According to gaming industry source Jez Corden, Microsoft decided to focus on established franchises like Fallout and shifted resources accordingly. While Fallout 5 probably wasn’t the sole reason Project Blackbird was canceled, it likely influenced Microsoft’s choices.

Despite reassurances, Microsoft could still face challenges in 2026. While rumors of early-year job cuts circulated, Microsoft COO Frank X. Shaw dismissed them as inaccurate and speculative on social media. It’s unclear, however, if Shaw’s comments only applied to Xbox Game Studios, or to the entire company. Now that development footage of Project Blackbird has surfaced online, it remains to be seen if similar footage from other canceled Microsoft gaming projects will emerge.

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2026-01-19 17:39