Xbox's sci-fi looter-shooter Blackbird was scrapped even after leaving execs 'blown away'

Xbox was developing a sci-fi stylized game with exciting movement mechanics before it was abruptly canceled. The game, codenamed Blackbird, was being developed by ZeniMax Online Studios, the same studio behind The Elder Scrolls Online. According to a report from Bloomberg, Xbox executives were impressed with the game and had positive comments about it. Blackbird was expected to be a third-person shooter RPG with looter-shooter gameplay set in an alien noir-themed world. The game featured movement-based abilities such as double-jumping, air-dashing, a grappling hook, and wall climbing. The project was gaining momentum and was set to be released in 2028, with the studio expanding its team to 300 people. However, Microsoft has shelved the project indefinitely, without providing any explicit reasoning for the cancellation. The cancellation of Blackbird is not an isolated incident, as Microsoft also canceled Everwild, a fantasy game from Rare, and a reboot of the Perfect Dark first-person shooter. The plot of Blackbird was expected to revolve around players uncovering a notorious murder in a capital city called Exodus, according to TrueAchievements. The cancellation of these projects has raised questions about Microsoft's gaming strategy and the future of its upcoming titles.