The Elder Scrolls Online Dev's Unannounced MMO Was Doing Well and Even Scaling Up as Xbox Cancelation Blindsided Staff, Sources Say
Yesterday, amid the layoffs of around 9,100 staff at Microsoft including hundreds from its Xbox Gaming Divisions, we learned that one of the impacted projects was an unannounced MMO from ZeniMax Online Studios .
Now, IGN has learned that the entire team for the MMO, codenamed "Blackbird," has been cut, amid layoffs that impacted several hundred individuals across the Cockeysville, MD-based ZeniMax Online Studios.
Speaking to multiple sources familiar with the project, IGN has learned that Blackbird was to be a new, sci-fi IP. Though it had been in development since 2018, the length of time it was taking to make the game was expected, as ZeniMax was building an entirely new game engine for it.
In the last year, sources tell IGN that pre-production was going well, and the team was actively ramping up in the hope of moving into full production soon. Xbox had approved the scaling up, and some individuals were being moved onto the project from other teams such as The Elder Scrolls Online, as well as some people absorbed from the shuttering last year of Arkane Austin.
Call of Duty
Let's not mince words. Xbox now owns the best selling video game each year. Call of Duty was at the centre of conversations during the acquisition process and it's no surprise why, with the shooter topping sales charts each and every year. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is next up, of course, appealing to player's nostalgia with multiplayer maps of yore when it launches November 10, 2023.
Diablo
Activision now owns one of 2023's other hottest game franchises in Diablo. The fourth entry launched in June and, while this means there likely won't be another game for a while, Blizzard has promised annual expansions for the action role-playing game. Diablo 4 was a huge hit, with more than ten million players in the first month.
Halo
Let's not forget Xbox's most iconic franchise Halo. Master Chief held a prominent spot in Microsoft's trailer welcoming Activision Blizzard under its wing and it's no surprise why. Though many consider it went through a lull in quality as 343 Industries took over from Bungie, Halo Infinite's single-player and multiplayer both earned an "amazing" rating from IGN. The developer is still releasing updates for the game, with no word on a sequel yet.
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is the gift that keeps on giving, for both players and Blizzard, and now Microsoft. Released in 2004, the massively multiplayer online role-playing game defined the genre and became a cultural touchpoint beyond gaming. It's another that isn't due a sequel as Blizzard continues to support the game with updates and major expansions every few years. Dragonflight arrived in 2022, for example, and the tenth expansion, that will likely arrive for the game's 20th anniversary, is set to be a big one.
The Elder Scrolls
Likely the biggest win from Xbox's last major acquisition, that of ZeniMax Media and its subsidiary Bethesda, The Elder Scrolls is now in the hands of Microsoft. While this franchise hasn't seen a release since 2011's Skyrim, its status as one of the most famous and beloved video games of all time means its long-awaited sequel, The Elder Scrolls 6, is as hotly anticipated as any game out there. The game entered early development in August 2023 but won't launch until at least 2028, and seemingly only on Xbox.
Minecraft
Microsoft picked up a little game called Minecraft when it purchased Mojang way back in 2014, before acquisitions were cool. Minecraft is available on just about every platform going and is the second best selling video game of all time, with sales topping 238 million units. Its infinite, randomly generated worlds seemingly provide infinite playability, and regular updates keep Minecraft as popular as ever despite being available since 2009.
Forza Motorsport
Forza Motorsport is Xbox's long-running racing franchise dedicated to delivering speed and immersion to its players, though its quality has perhaps dipped below the more arcade-based Forza Horizon spin-off franchise in recent years. That's not to say it's not doing well, of course, as its most recent release, simply titled Forza Motorsport, earned a "great" rating from IGN when it launched just ahead of the Activision Blizzard deal going through on October 10, 2023.
Psychonauts
Speaking of long overdue comebacks, 2005's Psychonauts finally received a sequel in 2021. It was worth the wait, with IGN calling it "great" in our review, but Microsoft hasn't said anything about a third entry yet. It was thought to be teasing Psychonauts 3 ahead of the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase but it came and went with no reveal. Double Fine founder Tim Schafer even said it's not being worked on at the moment.
Hellblade
Microsoft acquired Ninja Theory in 2018 for $117 million, getting its hands on the Hellblade franchise alongside it. The first game, which IGN called "amazing", arrived in 2017, with its sequel due out sometime in 2024. While there's no hard and fast rule surrounding exclusivity of Microsoft's acquired franchises, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is one that's definitely only coming to Xbox Series X and S.
Gears of War
Arguably Xbox's other most iconic franchise behind Halo, Gears of War has been quiet for a while but a sixth game is all but confirmed. Developer The Coalition announced it was working on "multiple new projects" in Unreal Engine 5 back in 2021, but none of these have seen the light of day yet. Though the pandemic and lay-offs likely slowed things down, it shouldn't be too long before Microsoft announces Gears 6.
Dishonored
Dishonored put developer Arkane Studios on the map, with Xbox gaining ownership of both when it acquired ZeniMax Media. A sequel in 2016 reportedly saw disappointing sales, however, and though it did get a spin-off in Death of the Outsider one year later, the franchise has been quiet since. Leaked court documents revealed that, at least as of July 2020, Arkane did plan on releasing Dishonored 3 in financial year 2024, but nothing official has been announced yet.
Overwatch
Overwatch is another premiere franchise Xbox acquired alongside Activision Blizzard, though the free-to-play sequel has faced criticism since its launch in 2022. Though some fans were frustrated by the cancellation of its long awaited PvE Hero mode, monetisation has been another sore point. Overwatch 2 is still incredibly popular, however, hitting 25 million players in its first week.
Wasteland
The party-based roleplaying game franchise Wasteland has emerged as a fan favourite among Xbox players and, while it's not had a new release since 2020's Wasteland 3 (which IGN said was great), developer inXile is certainly keeping busy. Alongside working on PvP game Frostpoint VR alongside the Bioshock Infinite-looking Clockwork Revolution (but more on that later).
Candy Crush Saga
Candy Crush saga is the iconic tile-matching mobile game released by King in 2012, and while it's an easy to underestimate acquisition on the surface, its value is colossal. A filing submitted as part of the acquisition process revealed Activision Blizzard mobile titles accounted for more than half of its overall revenue in the first half of 2022. Entering the mobile market properly was a contributing factor in Microsoft's decision to acquire Activision Blizzard.
Pentiment
Perhaps another title that's easy to underestimate on the surface is Pentiment, a historical, stylised mystery game, but it set the foundations for what could be a huge ongoing Xbox franchise when it launched in 2022. Coming from developer Obsidian, which previously created Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, The Outer Worlds, and more, Pentiment was dubbed a "masterpiece" in IGN's review.
Perfect Dark
Xbox super-studio The Initiative is the currently working on a rebooted Perfect Dark game, bringing the classic franchise back for modern consoles. Described as a first-person shooter with an "eco sci-fi" theme, Perfect Dark was announced in 2020 with a lengthy cinematic trailer. Despite the early showing, however, Perfect Dark is still years as of 2023, but will be sure to draw a lot of attention when it does finally release.
Banjo Kazooie
Another classic franchise that hasn't received attention in some time, Banjo-Kazooie is another Xbox franchise that could prove fruitful in a return. Though one developer does think a sequel is unlikely, many fans called for a new game, or at least a remake of the originals, during somewhat of a mascot platformer renaissance that occurred in the late 2010s when the likes of both Spyro and Crash Bandicoot received remasters.
Hi-Fi Rush
An instant hit emerged in 2023 when Xbox surprise released Hi-Fi Rush during a Developer Direct. Its blend of action and rhythm games instantly became a fan favourite that drew people to Xbox, and Hi-Fi Rush hit two million players within its first couple of months on the market. Developer Tango Gameworks is keeping the game relevant with regular updates too.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Flight Simulator is one of Microsoft's most popular long-term franchises but the release of 2020's edition set a new standard for aviation gaming. Also deemed a "masterpiece" in IGN's review, Microsoft Flight Simulator blew fans away by featuring every airport in existence and an incredible level of attention in its world and planes. A sequel, aptly titled Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, will look to cash in on that popularity and success in 2024.
Prey
Arkane's rebooted Prey franchise looked to be a new mainstay when it arrived in 2017 but, despite praise from players and critics (IGN called it "great"), the game's sales seemingly failed to make an impact. Prey hasn't emerged again beyond some DLCs, and director Raphaël Colantonio even criticised the "gross" name, saying Bethesda forced the development team to use it. This makes a potential sequel a complicated subject, but fans are definitely looking for more.
Forza Horizon
Though once considered a less relevant off-shoot of the mainline Forza Motorsport series, Forza Horizon has become a fully fledged franchise in its own right after consistently putting it beloved entries. Forza Horizon 5 earned a "masterpiece" rating in IGN's review and, though Xbox is yet to announce a sixth entry, the series has been released fairly consistently around every three years, meaning a 2024 entry is perhaps likely.
Doom
Arguably the most iconic shooter of all time, Doom made its return in 2016 with a full reboot and a sequel in 2020 (which IGN said was "amazing"). The franchise has been dormant since but, as it's been running for three decades already, it's surely not done yet. Doom's 30th anniversary is on December 10, 2023, however, perhaps giving Microsoft and Bethesda a perfect opportunity to announce a third game in the rebooted franchise.
StarCraft
StarCraft is another classic franchise belonging to Xbox, though one that hasn't see as much of a resurgence recently as Doom. Its latest release was 2017's Starcraft: Remastered, which saw the original ground breaking sci-fi real-time strategy game revamped in what IGN called an "amazing" package. Rumours around an official next entry have been circling for years, but Blizzard is yet to confirm if and when StarCraft 3 might see the light of day.
Age of Empires
Considered by many to be the premiere real-time strategy franchise, Age of Empires has been running for nearly three decades with its developers outputting a near-constant stream of games and updates. The last mainline entry arrived in 2021 with Age of Empires 4 (which IGN said was great), but definitive editions of the second and third entries have also had regular expansions released every few months from around the same time. There's no word yet on an Age of Empires 5, and the 16 year gap between the third and fourth games doesn't give much to go by.
State of Decay
Xbox's premiere zombie franchise hasn't seen a new release since 2018 but State of Decay 3 is in development. Coming from the aptly titled developer Undead Labs, the game was announced way back in 2020 but hasn't received too much attention since. Development is proceeding smoothly, however, at least according to an update in September 2022. Xbox also revealed at the time State of Decay 3 is being developed in Unreal Engine 5, but didn't offer any insight into a potential release date.
Viva Piñata
Viva Piñata arrived in 2006 and became an instant fan-favourite, but after four games (three of which IGN said were great) it disappeared from the face of the earth never to resurface. Fans of the colourful gardening and farming gameplay have long-requested a sequel or reboot, but developer Rare and Microsoft haven't answered that call.
Crackdown
Although considered one of Microsoft's more notable franchises during the Xbox One generation, Crackdown seemingly collapsed in on itself with the release of the third instalment. Years of troubled development and a likely expensive marketing campaign starring Terry Crews crumbled when Crackdown 3 launched to mediocre reviews in 2019. The franchise hasn't been mentioned since, with Xbox perhaps waiting for the bad taste to disappear before bringing it back, if it chooses to at all.
Hearthstone
Hearthstone took the tabletop world by storm when it launched as a collectible card game that didn't require a table at all. The World of Warcraft-based battler has only grown bigger since, though has faced criticism from its community more recently for the extent of its microtransactions. Microsoft likely won't mind that aspect now it owns Hearthstone, of course, but regular updates keep its audience engaged too.
South of Midnight
Not much is known about South of Midnight so far given it was only announced in June 2023, but developer Compulsion Games' legacy of Contrast and We Happy Few will make it interesting at the very least. A debut trailer showed off striking visuals with American South vibes and a touch of magic, while Xbox revealed it would be a third-person action adventure game following Hazel as she tracks down supernatural creatures.
Rage
Minecraft Dungeons
Zoo Tycoon
Guitar Hero
Redfall
Broken Age
The Evil Within
Blue Dragon
Spyro
Quantum Break
Everwild
Avowed
Ori
Project Gotham Racing
Gears Tactics
Iron Brigade
Deathloop
Clockwork Revolution
Bleeding Age
The Outer Worlds
Quake
The Bard's Tale
Ghostwire: Tokyo
Blur
Fallout
Massive Chalice
Age of Mythology
The Elder Scrolls Online
Minecraft Legends
Ara: History Untold
Heroes of the Storm
Grounded
Fable
Project Mara
One source recalled being told last year by head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty in a meeting that Xbox's closures of Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, and Alpha Dog Games were done for the purpose of justifying increased headcount for other game studios that needed it, including ZeniMax Online Studios.
But now, every person working on Blackbird is gone. The project has been cancelled, and ZeniMax Online Studios head Matt Firor has stepped down . Sources IGN spoke to said that those within ZeniMax only knew that layoffs were coming due to ongoing news reports leading up to yesterday, but even today are still in the dark as to how widespread the cuts actually are. They also confirmed reports that a number of people's Slack access was deactivated before they were told by HR that they were impacted, resulting in confusion and distress.
Microsoft's mass layoffs have devastated its games division, and our understanding of the impact is still evolving. IGN was told that Candy Crush developer King was hit hard, and we learned yesterday that Perfect Dark has been canceled and The Initiative is no more . Meanwhile, Everwild has been canceled at Rare and veteran Rare designer Gregg Mayles is leaving the company , and Blizzard's Warcraft Rumble is winding down . Brenda and John Romero also announced this morning that Xbox has pulled funding from their project , leaving its future uncertain. A number of other games and teams are rumored to be impacted as well, though the full scope is still unknown.
This comes on the heels of Microsoft's laying off 1,900 staff in January 2024 , closing Redfall developer Arkane Austin and Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks months later , laying off 650 more individuals in gaming the following September, and then in May of this year Microsoft laying off an additional 6,000 people.
Image credit: zenimaxonline.com.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to [email protected] .
