A new independent game development studio has launched, created by people who previously worked at ZeniMax. The team includes leaders from the development of both Elder Scrolls Online and Project Blackbird.
ZeniMax Online Studios, established in 2007, gained a large fanbase with the popular game, The Elder Scrolls Online. The game continues to attract new players and has generated nearly $2 billion in revenue since 2014. Recently, however, Microsoft layoffs impacted the studio, resulting in over 300 job losses. This included staff working on a new, unannounced game called Project Blackbird, which Xbox has now cancelled. Fortunately, some of those affected have joined forces to create a new, independent game studio owned by its employees.
Sackbird Studios Officially Announced, Run by Former ZeniMax Online Leads
Hi everyone! 👋 We’re excited to introduce Sackbird Studios, a new independent game development studio based in Baltimore, Maryland. We’re a group of friends who have been creating game worlds, mechanics, and narratives for players for years! #indiedev #videogames
— sackbirdstudios (@sackbirdstudios) October 8, 2025
A new game studio, Sackbird Studios, has been created by former leaders from ZeniMax Online Studios. The team of 10 people previously worked at the Bethesda-owned studio, contributing to games like The Elder Scrolls Online and a project called Blackbird that was ultimately cancelled. Notably, Sackbird Studios is entirely owned by its employees and is already financially secure for several years. According to David Worley, the studio’s COO,
Worley explains that after many years working for large game studios, they wanted the ability to take creative chances without needing permission or focusing solely on short-term profits. Now, as a fully employee-owned and funded company, they’re accountable only to their dedicated team.
Another statement, this time from CEO Lee Ridout, states,
Ridout shared that their experience at ZeniMax Online Studios was incredibly valuable, both professionally and personally. When they heard Blackbird was being cancelled and many colleagues were losing their jobs, it motivated them to act. They decided the best way to safeguard their work and support their team was to start a studio that prioritized creative freedom above all else.
The team isn’t quite ready to reveal their first game, but they plan to release it on both PC and consoles. They’re thankful for their experience at ZeniMax Online Studios and are now fully dedicated to finishing and launching their project. It will be interesting to see what Sackbird Studios comes up with, particularly if it builds on ideas from the previously cancelled Project Blackbird.
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2025-10-08 22:19