Microsoft’s Blackbird Cancellation Reportedly Cost Hundreds of Millions of Dollars

The termination of the highly ambitious “Project Blackbird” has emerged as one of the most significant setbacks for the Xbox gaming division.

This massive MMORPG was in active development for nearly seven years. Estimates indicate that the game’s budget may have reached a staggering $400 million, positioning it as one of the most expensive undertakings in the history of the interactive entertainment industry.

These financial details were uncovered through a LinkedIn profile belonging to Ben Jones, a Game Director at ZeniMax Online Studios. In his professional summary, Jones highlighted his experience managing major projects categorized as “$400 million hits.”

Following an analysis of his 25-year career, industry experts concluded that the project in question was undoubtedly Blackbird—the only title of such immense scale he had overseen. While the $400 million figure might represent the total projected lifecycle cost, the seven-year production window almost certainly consumed a vast portion of that capital before the project was shelved.

While Microsoft officially cited large-scale corporate restructuring and layoffs as the reason for the project’s cancellation, internal sources suggest a strategic reallocation of assets. It is widely believed that these resources were redirected to expedite the development of Fallout 5, prioritizing a proven blockbuster franchise over new intellectual property.

Source: iXBT.games