Matt Firor stepped down from ZeniMax Online Studios in July 2025, concluding a distinguished tenure of nearly 20 years where he spearheaded the development of The Elder Scrolls Online. While he initially remained silent regarding his exit, he has since revealed that he could no longer reconcile with Microsoft’s corporate direction.
The summer of 2025 saw the tech giant undergo a massive restructuring, resulting in over 9,000 layoffs, the shuttering of various studios, and the termination of several high-profile projects. Although the industry was shocked by the cancellation of titles like Perfect Dark and Everwild, it was the demise of Project Blackbird that Firor found truly unacceptable.
Reflecting on the situation via LinkedIn, he stated:
Project Blackbird was the game I had been waiting my entire career to create, and its cancellation was the final catalyst for my departure.
Firor expressed profound appreciation for his former team and voiced his regret over the widespread job losses. While he clarified that he is not currently involved in any commercial ventures launched by former ZeniMax colleagues, he is providing informal mentorship and advice to emerging development teams. As he weighs his options for the future, Firor noted that he has no immediate plans to establish a new studio of his own.
Source: iXBT.games