Zenimax Looter Shooter Felt Like Blade Runner Now Cancelled

Yesterday, it was reported that Microsoft was eliminating over 9,000 jobs across the company’s various divisions, which include Microsoft Gaming (Xbox).

Not only were there layoffs, but we also saw studio shutdowns and game cancellations as well.

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One of the canceled projects is a ZeniMax project called “Blackbird,” which is said to have impressed Xbox execs the last time it was shown.

ZeniMax Blackbird Project Now Canned Despite Impressing Xbox Boss

In a report by Bloomberg (paywalled), it was reported that one of the canceled projects include ZeniMax Online’s Blackbird project. ZeniMax, the parent company of Bethesda, is behind the hit MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online.

What makes this game’s cancellation interesting is that it was reportedly demoed to Xbox executives, including Microsoft Gaming boss Phil Spencer, as recently as this March, and received rave reviews.

Not only that, but it’s claimed that during the demo of the project, Spencer was enjoying the game so much that Matt Booty, the head of Xbox Game Studios, had to pull the controller away, so they could keep the meeting going, according to two people who were in the room.

Needless to say, because of this, developers were shocked to lear that Blackbird was being “shelved indefinitely,” which is another way of saying it’s canceled.

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The report states that despite the technological bumps and a lengthy development cycle, Blackbird was making good progress, which is why employees were stunned to see it part of the bloodletting from Microsoft.

While there’s no gameplay footage, Blackbird was a third-person, online looter-shooter, which is not unlike Bungie’s Destiny franchise. It’s said to feature a sci-fi noir aesthetic similar to Blade Runner, and placed emphasis on vertical movement. Part of the movement mechanics included abilities such as double jumping, air-dashing, and a grappling hook that allowed players to wall climb.

There was no reason given why Blackbird was canceled, though it might have to do with the project being an expensive endeavor for Microsoft, and a risky one at that since it was a live-service game. In case you needed a reminder how expensive live-service projects are, you don’t need to look far, as Sony’s failed live-service shooter Concord is the stuff of legends — though not in a good way.

Another perfect example of how hard it is to nail a live-service experience? Electronic Arts’ Anthem, which impressed gamers and media alike when it was revealed, failed to capture any kind of footing, and will have its servers shutdown early next year.

The spate of bad news for Xbox has been surfacing non-stop, as earlier today, it’s reported that Microsoft was “trying their damnest” to replace the Halo Studios devs with AI.

There is one bit of good news for Xbox fans, as Sony has finally caved and is releasing Helldivers 2 on Xbox Series X|S this August.