- Primary Subject: Matt Firor
- Key Update: Left ZeniMax Online Studios after MMO project cancellation
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: April 30, 2026
- Quick Answer: Matt Firor stepped away from ZeniMax Online Studios in 2025 following the cancellation of Project Blackbird, a large-scale MMO he had spent years developing. The decision, driven largely by financial concerns from Microsoft, ended what Firor considered a major passion project, ultimately leading him to leave the studio despite his long history with The Elder Scrolls Online.
Matt Firor’s exit from ZeniMax Online Studios was not just a quiet retirement after a long run with The Elder Scrolls Online.
After nearly 18 years at the studio, Firor left in 2025 because Microsoft canceled Project Blackbird, the new MMO he had spent years trying to bring to life.
For him, this was not just another internal project. It was the kind of game he had wanted to make for most of his career, and once it was shut down, he felt there was no reason for him to stay.
What Was Project Blackbird Supposed to Be?
Project Blackbird had been in development for years and was meant to be a major new online game built around lessons learned from ESO.
The team wanted to avoid some of the long-term problems that make live-service MMOs expensive and difficult to maintain.
Instead of simply creating another huge MMO with the same old content pipeline issues, the project was designed with custom technology that could make future updates easier, faster, and less costly.
Firor said the idea was to spend more upfront so the game would be easier to support later. That ambition also became part of the problem.
The project was expensive, large in scope, and still years away from release. When Microsoft began cutting costs across its gaming division, Blackbird became a risky item on a financial spreadsheet.
Firor said the cancellation was mainly financial, not because the team had failed creatively. In his view, the project was playable, promising, and different from anything else on the market, but it was still a huge bet at a time when Microsoft wanted to reduce risk.
How Did the Cancellation Affect Matt Firor Personally?
The cancellation hit Firor hard because he had personally helped shape the concept, world design, and long-term direction of the game.
He understood why the decision happened from a business perspective, but he clearly did not agree with it. To him, it was a missed opportunity for ZeniMax Online, Bethesda, Xbox, and the players who might have experienced it.
The decision also affected a large development team, many of whom suddenly lost the project they had been building.
What makes the story more interesting is that Firor did not walk away bitter from The Elder Scrolls Online. After taking a short break to clear his head, he returned to the game as a regular player.
That change gave him a completely different relationship with ESO. Before, whenever he played, he was still thinking like a developer—spotting bugs, noticing problems, and mentally preparing feedback for the team. Now, he no longer has to treat every issue like work.
What Is It Like for Him to Play ESO Now?
As a result, Firor explains that playing ESO now feels refreshing, as he can dive into guilds and explore without the weight of being in charge.
Other players in his guilds apparently do not know who he is, which lets him experience the MMO almost like anyone else.
For someone who spent nearly two decades building the game, that anonymity gives him a rare chance to enjoy ESO without pressure.
Firor has also admitted that calling ESO one of his favorite games feels a little strange because he helped create it. Still, he stands by it.
He spent much of his life building and living inside that world, and even after leaving the studio, he still respects what the game has become.
ESO had a difficult launch, especially because of its subscription model and early criticism, but the team eventually reshaped it into one of the most successful modern MMOs.
Even now, parts of Firor’s work are still reaching players. MMO content takes a long time to build, sometimes 12 to 16 months, so some updates arriving after his departure were already planned while he was still involved.
He has also noticed that the current team has changed and improved some of those ideas in smart ways. That seems to give him confidence that ESO is in good hands, even without him leading it.
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