Former Elder Scrolls Online Boss Opens Up About His Exit from Zenimax

In a recent message on Bluesky, Matt Firor, the former leader of Elder Scrolls Online, opened up about his unexpected departure from Zenimax Online. Citing Microsoft’s sweeping layoffs and project cancellations as the catalyst—particularly the unfortunate end of his ambitious MMO, Project Blackbird—Firor provided some insight into his decision.

Firor revealed, “The most obvious explanation is the correct one. Project Blackbird was the game I had waited my entire career to create, and having it canceled led to my resignation. My heart and thoughts are always with the impacted team members, many of whom I had worked with for over 20 years, and all of whom were the most dedicated, amazingly talented group of developers in the industry.”

While Firor is no longer steering projects directly, he mentioned he’s “advising some of them informally.” However, the big question remains: what’s next for him?

After 18 years at Zenimax, Firor left on July 2, 2025, the same day reports surfaced about Project Blackbird, described as a Destiny-like looter shooter that had been in development since 2018. Microsoft’s recent layoffs swept through Xbox and its studios, with many other projects, including Rare’s long-troubled Everwild, also facing cancellation.

Rumor has it Xbox head Phil Spencer, a self-proclaimed Destiny enthusiast, was quite taken with Blackbird—so much so that he needed a nudge from Matt Booty to refocus during a meeting.

It’s hardly a new narrative in the industry: talented teams being let go post-project completion, even when their work shows promise. Spencer, amidst the bloodbath, insisted that “our platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger” while attributing current successes to tough past decisions.

As for Firor’s future, he admitted, “I still haven’t figured that out,” adding that he isn’t “totally sitting on the sidelines.” While he hasn’t seriously considered launching a new studio, he mentioned making investments in small teams that have the potential to drive significant change in the gaming landscape.

Meanwhile, fellow Zenimax alumnus Rich Lambert expressed his eagerness to continue developing games, despite the disappointing end to Blackbird.