- Zenimax’s cancelled Project Blackbird may have cost Xbox $400 million.
- The game was under development for 7 years at Xbox.
- It may have been cancelled to free up resources for Fallout 5.
Just last year, Microsoft was severely impacted by a major round of layoffs that also resulted in a few casualties at its gaming division. One of the biggest surprises was the gaming giant’s cancellation of Zenimax’s ambitious upcoming MMORPG, which was 7 years deep into development.
Project Blackbird may have been a costly endeavour for Team Green, as it had a budget of $400 million, as per the LinkedIn profile of its game director.
Why it matters: Despite billions of dollars invested in Xbox, the division hasn’t been particularly profitable and is even dragging down Microsoft. This will continue to happen if the company keeps pouring millions of dollars into projects that will never see the light of day.
The About section for Ben Jones’ LinkedIn profile, who served as Game Director for Project Blackbird under ZeniMax Online Studio, mentions the following.
I’m a proven leader and creative force with experience in a full range of project scopes from small modifications to $400 million blockbusters.
While Ben has worked on multiple projects over the span of 25 years as a professional game director, none of his past experiences was as big as Project Blackbird. We’ve cross-checked titles from his past experiences and confirmed that Blackbird was indeed the largest scale he’s worked at, and hence, the $400 million blockbuster being referred to here.
However, it is also important to note that this could very well be the final budget assigned to the game till its completion, not necessarily what it had cost them. Still, 7 years of development wouldn’t have come cheap for Microsoft.
Before it’s cancellation, the game was in a near-playable state. Earlier reports suggest that the gameplay would’ve been inspired by Blade Runner, Horizon, and Destiny, with a futuristic-noir-themed setting akin to Cyberpunk 2077.
As for the reason behind the game’s cancellation, an insider states that it was axed to divert resources for Fallout 5, which has now been greenlit.
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[Staff Writer]
Shaheer is currently pursuing a Business degree while also working as a part-time Content Writer. With his deep passion for both writing and video games, he has seamlessly transitioned into a role as a Journalist. Over the past two years, Shaheer has contributed as a freelancer to various websites and landed positions on acclaimed platforms like Gamerant. Currently, his role at Tech4gamers is as a Features Writer, but he also covers News occasionally. Shaheer’s favorite gaming franchises are Assassin’s Creed and the God of War series.
Get In Touch: shaheerzahid03@gmail.com
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