Latest news with #TheElderScrollsOnline
Engadget
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
Xbox's sci-fi looter-shooter Blackbird was scrapped even after leaving execs 'blown away'
Xbox was well on its way to delivering a sci-fi stylized game with plenty of exciting movement mechanics before an abrupt change of heart. The upcoming third-person shooter RPG codenamed Blackbird from ZeniMax Online Studios, which developed The Elder Scrolls Online, has been "shelved indefinitely," according to an exclusive report from Bloomberg . The report added that Xbox execs were "blown away" by the game and had "nothing but complimentary words," according to Bloomberg 's sources. The exciting new IP was expected to rival the Destiny franchise with its looter-shooter gameplay in an alien noir-themed world. The Bloomberg report revealed that a sci-fi setting would be paired with movement-based abilities like "double-jumping, air-dashing, a grappling hook and wall climbing." The project was reportedly gaining momentum recently and was set to release in 2028, after the studio expanded its team to 300 people. Microsoft didn't provide comments to Bloomberg or any explicit reasoning why the Blackbird project was dropped. Not much was known about the game, but TrueAchievements uncovered a plot that revolves around players uncovering a notorious murder in a capital city called Exodus. Along with Blackbird, Microsoft cancelled Everwild , a fantasy game from Rare that's been in development since 2014, and a reboot of the Perfect Dark first-person shooter.
Metro
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Xbox bosses loved a game so much they canned it and sacked all the developers
Microsoft's cull of 9,000 jobs has led to multiple cancelled projects, and one of them has been called 'incredible' by those that played it. Perfect Dark, Everwild, and an untitled game from John Romero are just some of the projects which have been cancelled in the wake of Microsoft's latest round of sweeping job cuts. There's a chance more games have been impacted which haven't yet been detailed (a new Banjo-Kazooie is also rumoured to have been canned) but various reports have highlighted one title in particular as one of the biggest casualties, and no one can understand why it's been canned. The unannounced game in question was being developed by ZeniMax Online Studios, the creators of The Elder Scrolls Online, and is believed to have been so 'spectacular', Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer had to have the controller taken off him during a meeting. Details around the project emerged this week via Xbox insider SneakerSO on NeoGaf, who claimed the cancelled title, codenamed Blackbird, was 'f***ing incredible' and 'had some of the best reactions from folks who played it' for a multiplayer-orientated game following a playtest. 'It takes an absolute truck load to have folks heap praise on an multiplayer playtest in modern times,' they wrote in a thread about the layoffs. 'This game would've been spectacular.' They added: 'This is one of the cancelled games that, by literally every account, sounded like it would've been a slam dunk in literally every sense.' Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. These comments were corroborated and elaborated on by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier. He describes Blackbird as a 'third person, online looter shooter' in a similar vein to Destiny, with a sci-fi noir aesthetic similar to Blade Runner. The key selling point was apparently its 'heavy emphasis on vertical movement', where you use a grappling hook and air-dashing to swing around tall buildings. According to the report, Blackbird had 'blown away' Xbox executives during a demonstration in March this year. According to two people who were in the room at the time, it's said Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer was 'enjoying the game so much' that head of Xbox Studios, Matt Booty, had to 'pull the controller away so they could keep the meeting going'. It's claimed Blackbird's cancellation caused ZeniMax Online Studios boss Matt Firor to 'immediately' hand in his resignation, with his departure confirmed in a note from the studio on Wednesday, July 2. Jo Burba is set to takeover as the new studio head. While no explanation has been given for Blackbird's cancellation, it's been described as an expensive project. Considering the amount of live service games which have flopped over the past few years too, Xbox may have seen it as a risky endeavour. According to IGN, Blackbird, which was slated for release in 2028, had been in development since 2018. ZeniMax Online Studios was building a brand new engine for the game, hence the lengthy development, but it's claimed the team was 'actively ramping up' in the hope of 'moving into full production soon'. More Trending It's claimed Xbox had approved this increase in manpower, as people were being moved from The Elder Scrolls Online team to work on Blackbird, along with those who had been absorbed into the studio from last year's closure of Arkane Austin. According to reports, the entire team behind Blackbird has been cut, as part of several hundred layoffs at the US-based studio. GameCentral has reached out to Xbox for comment. ZeniMax Online Studios, a subsidiary of ZeniMax Media, was acquired by Microsoft as part of a $7.5 billion deal in March 2021. While the studio is primarily known for The Elder Scrolls Online, it also contributed to 2016's Doom and Fallout 76. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Games Inbox: Are video games too expensive for young people? MORE: The 10 best video games of 2025 so far – half year report MORE: Video game spending has dropped almost 25% amongst young people
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Microsoft cuts jobs in Xbox division, cancels games
Microsoft Corp's gaming division began cutting hundreds of employees on Wednesday, its second mass layoff in months and its largest in more than two years. Microsoft employed 228,000 full-time workers as of last June. Subsidiaries across the gaming organisation were told that they would be affected by the layoffs -- King division, which makes Candy Crush, is cutting 10% of its staff, or about 200 jobs; Call of Duty maker Raven Software has announced workforce reductions. Microsoft also cancelled several projects that had been in development for years, including the fantasy game Everwild, and an original new online game from ZeniMax Online Studios, the maker of The Elder Scrolls Online. Both studios will cut jobs as a result of the cancellations. Microsoft said Wednesday it's eliminating 9,000 workers.
Engadget
19-06-2025
- Business
- Engadget
ZeniMax and Microsoft ratify union agreement
Members of the ZeniMax Workers United-CWA union have ratified the contract agreement with parent company Microsoft. This agreement with the union representing the video game studio's quality assurance employees marks the first time Microsoft has entered into any union contract in the US. ZeniMax Studios is probably best known for its work on The Elder Scrolls Online . Stephen Totilo first reported on this news; we've reached out to Microsoft and the Communications Workers of America for additional comment. As with many organizing efforts, this step has been a long time coming. The group of employees voted to unionize in 2023, and Microsoft immediately recognized ZeniMax Workers United-CWA following the vote results. Microsoft also made its policy of neutrality toward union organizing at ZeniMax official in 2024. The QA workers from ZeniMax and Microsoft reached a tentative contract this May. The contract includes provisions for wage increases and minimum salaries, as well as industry-specific content such as a clearer crediting policy recognizing the role of QA and protections for the employees regarding use of AI.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hit PS4, PS5 RPG Is 75% Off on PS Store Just Before Major Update
We are in the last couple of days of the Spring Sale. For the past month or so, the sales promotion has saved players up to 75% on some of the best PS5 and PS4 games available on the digital storefront. This includes this hit RPG from a . The Elder Scrolls Online for PS4 and PS5 is currently $4.99 on the PS Store. That is 75% off the typical $19.99 price tag. Players interested in this deal will want to act fast. The offer ends on April 24 at 2:59 A.M. ET. 'Every legend starts somewhere and in The Elder Scrolls Online, it starts with you,' reads the game's description. 'Write your story into a vibrant chapter of Tamriel's distant past that takes place nearly 1,000 years before the iconic TES V: Skyrim, and discover a world steeped in adventure and possibility.' It should be noted that this offer is for the Base Game Edition of The Elder Scrolls Online. This includes the base game, as well as the Morrowind Chapter, a piece of DLC that allows players to visit the fan-favorite location. Although it isn't listed, the Imperial City DLC is also free. When The Elder Scrolls Online first launched, it was met with okay reviews. According to review aggregate website Metacritic, it garnered an average score of 71 across 64 critic reviews. Despite middling reviews, The Elder Scrolls Online has been an active MMORPG since 2014 and has been receiving regular updates and DLC since launch. In fact, its next major update, simply called Update 46, releases in June and includes new features like subclassing, a new storyline and zone, and other quality-of-life changes. This deal is a solid way for players to get their foot in the door before the update. The post Hit PS4, PS5 RPG Is 75% Off on PS Store Just Before Major Update appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
