ZeniMax Online Studios was among the first-party studios most affected by the Xbox layoffs in both July 2025 and 2026. Last year, the team saw its sci-fi online game Project Blackbird (with related layoffs of a few hundred employees who had been working on it for years) canceled despite then-Xbox CEO Phil Spencer reportedly loving it. The end of Project Blackbird also directly led to the resignation of ZeniMax Online Studios founder Matt Firor, who would later label it as a missed opportunity for Xbox. Following the cancellation of Blackbird, ZOS refocused on its prize jewel, the popular MMORPG The […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/zenimax-eso-xbox-layoffs-content-pace/

Former ZeniMax Online Studios founder and studio head Matt Firor has finally spoken openly about Project Blackbird's cancellation. Firor, who was behind the successful release of The Elder Scrolls Online and its continued support for many years, left the studio following Microsoft's decision to cancel the project after many years of development. Shortly after that news, he admitted that the two things were directly related. Now, speaking to MinnMax, he provided a lot more color on why he feels the decision to shut down Project Blackbird is a missed opportunity for Xbox. It's conflicted. I'm so proud of what the […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/project-blackbird-cancellation-matt-firor-xbox/

During a recent remote press event, we had the chance to preview today's Elder Scrolls Online 2026 Seasons Direct, which outlined the main new features and content coming this year to the MMORPG, and also asked a few questions to ZeniMax Online in a roundtable format. First things first: The Elder Scrolls Online is coming to PC Game Pass, with Xbox Play Anywhere support, on June 2. Moreover, the Gold Road Collection (ESO base game + Gold Road Chapter + all previous Chapters, including the additional Warden, Necromancer, and Arcanist classes) is now free to grab for PlayStation Plus members […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/elder-scrolls-online-seasons-2026-overview/