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Leaked In-Engine Clip Offers First Look at ZeniMax’s Canceled ‘Project Blackbird’

Independent verification identifies the video as an internal Unreal Engine 4 lighting test from the shelved MMO.

Overview

  • The roughly two-minute in-engine clip was posted by leaker eXtas1s, with Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson confirming its authenticity.
  • Sources indicate the footage was produced to showcase lighting in Unreal Engine 4 for internal use at ZeniMax Online.
  • The video depicts a neon-soaked, vertically layered cyberpunk setting with monorails and crowded markets, functioning as a cinematic tone piece rather than gameplay.
  • Earlier reports outlined Project Blackbird as a third-person online shooter/MMO centered on bio-enhanced “Revenants” on the planet Soteria, and the visuals align with that aesthetic and vertical-movement focus.
  • Microsoft canceled Project Blackbird in July 2025 during broader cuts, prompting departures including founder Matt Firor and contributing to new studios such as Sackbird Studios and Ironroot Games.