Leaked Unreal Engine test clip surfaces from ZeniMax Online’s canceled MMO “Project Blackbird”

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Footage claimed to be from Project Blackbird, an unannounced MMORPG that ZeniMax Online Studios was working on before Microsoft’s recent wave of cuts, has leaked online. The project was reportedly canceled amid layoffs and broader restructuring across Xbox’s studios, and this is the first real look at what the game may have been shaping up to be.

The short clip, shared via a Spanish X account and circulated by Insider Gaming, appears to be internal test footage focused on lighting rather than gameplay. If authentic, it offers a small snapshot of a project that was once said to be targeting a possible 2028 release, and it highlights how far along some pieces of the game’s presentation work may have been before it was shelved.

What leaked: Roughly two minutes of test footage that appears designed to show off lighting and environment mood rather than combat, UI, or systems.

Tech detail: The video is described as Unreal Engine 4 footage, suggesting the team was building prototypes and visual targets in UE4 during development.

Where it came from: The clip was posted by the X account eXtas1s (Noticias & Rumores) and then picked up by Insider Gaming, whose editor Tim Henderson said he verified it as legitimate.

Why people care: ZeniMax Online Studios is best known for The Elder Scrolls Online, one of the longest-running live-service MMOs on console and PC. A second MMO from the studio would have been a major shift, especially if it was set in a new universe rather than leaning on an established IP.

Fallout from the cancellation: The shutdown of Blackbird affected staff directly, with some developers laid off and others moving on to different roles. In the aftermath, some former ZOS developers formed new teams, and former studio head Matt Firor has publicly tied his departure to the project being canceled.