The cancellation of the ambitious Project Blackbird marked one of the most challenging periods for the Xbox division. This massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) was reportedly in development for approximately seven years, with its budget estimated to reach up to $400 million, positioning it as one of the most expensive game developments in the industry’s history.
Details regarding the project’s immense cost surfaced from a LinkedIn profile. Ben Jones, a Game Director at ZeniMax Online Studios, alluded to his experience working on “400 million dollar blockbuster” projects.
Following an analysis of his 25-year career, experts concluded that he was likely referring to Blackbird, given it was the only project of such magnitude he had worked on. While this figure might represent the planned total development budget, a seven-year production cycle would undoubtedly have consumed a substantial portion of these funds.
Officially, Microsoft cited widespread layoffs as the reason for the project’s termination. However, insider reports suggest the decision might also have been influenced by a reallocation of resources, potentially diverting them towards the development of Fallout 5.