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Firor’s 18-year journey at ZeniMax ended on July 2, 2025. Coinciding with his resignation were reports that Project Blackbird—a looter-shooter similar to Destiny that had been in the works since 2018—was scrapped amidst Microsoft’s aggressive Xbox studio downsizing. Other notable casualties of this restructuring included Rare’s long-delayed title, Everwild.
In a particularly bitter twist, Xbox chief Phil Spencer—a vocal fan of looter-shooters—was reportedly so impressed by a Blackbird demo that fellow executive Matt Booty had to pull him away from the console just to keep their meeting on track.
Microsoft’s pattern of shuttering promising projects is a frustratingly familiar narrative. During the height of these layoffs, Spencer defended the “tough decisions,” claiming that the company’s roadmap has never been more robust—a claim that ring hollow for the hundreds of developers whose projects were discarded.
As for his next chapter, Firor admits he is still weighing his options. While he isn’t looking to launch a major new studio immediately, he hasn’t stayed completely idle. He noted that he has already begun investing in smaller, innovative teams that he believes will define the industry’s future.
Meanwhile, former ZeniMax colleague Rich Lambert recently expressed his own desire to keep creating, despite the unfortunate fate of the project Phil Spencer reportedly loved.
Source: gamesradar.com
