Footage of ZeniMax's Cancelled Project Blackbird Surfaces Online
Insider Gaming • • general
Key Points:
- Two minutes of in-engine footage from ZeniMax Online Studio’s cancelled Project Blackbird has leaked online, verified by Insider Gaming as legitimate and showcasing the game’s lighting in Unreal Engine 4.
- Project Blackbird was cancelled by Microsoft in July 2025 amid mass layoffs, which also resulted in the cancellation of other projects at the publisher.
- The game was aiming for a 2028 release and had impressed Microsoft Gaming executives during a recent presentation, but no official reason for its cancellation has been provided.
- The cancellation led to approximately 300 developer layoffs and the departure of ZeniMax Online Studio president Matt Firor.
