A few (fewer than ten, at this time) former ZeniMax Online developers who worked on the cancelled game Project Blackbird and The Elder Scrolls Online have just announced Sackbird Studios. This new Baltimore-based indie developer was inspired by the cancellation of Project Blackbird to build a studio that avoids the pitfalls experienced across the industry.
Lee Ridout, Chief Executive Officer at Sackbird Studios, said in a statement:
We’re grateful for our time at ZeniMax Online Studios; it shaped us as developers and as people. When I learned that Blackbird was being cancelled and a lot of people were losing their jobs, it lit a fire. We realized the best way to protect our craft—and our team—was to create a studio where creative independence isn’t negotiable.
David Worley, Chief Operating Officer at Sackbird Studios, added:
After years in AAA, we wanted the freedom to take smart risks without waiting for a greenlight or chasing quarterly targets. We’re fully employee-owned and funded, which means we only answer to people who are passionate about games.
Sackbird Studios has already started working on an original project for PC and consoles, though, of course, this is way too early to discuss it. The only hint was shared on LinkedIn, where the studio suggested that its mandate is to 'create unforgettable multiplayer experiences that surprise and thrill players'.
Still, we'll monitor the studio's progress over the years. Stay tuned.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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