Whenever you consider MMOs, your thoughts instantly wanders in direction of excessive fantasy. World of Warcraft. Ultimate Fantasy 14 (clue’s within the identify there). Guild Wars 2. There’s one thing about fantastical worlds that makes them excellent for enormous on-line videogames. However I am sick of seeing thick brick dungeons and high-flying dragons. Whereas I by no means actually jelled with Future, I’ve at all times puzzled what a real sci-fi MMO might seem like. Think about a dingy Evening Metropolis-esque universe with its suburbs and underground tunnels. That is what Challenge Blackbird, an formidable creation from Elder Scrolls On-line developer Zenimax, was meant to be.
Canceled as a part of Microsoft’s notorious July 2025 layoffs, Challenge Blackbird had been within the works for over seven years, and was supposedly a large, sci-fi noir-style shooter with Blade Runner’s aesthetics and a heavy concentrate on verticality. Now, nonetheless, we have seen what the Elder Scrolls On-line dev had in thoughts, as footage of what’s claimed to be Challenge Blackbird has surfaced on-line through Spanish leaker, ‘eXtas1stv.’
The scene is instantly harking back to the likes of the aforementioned Blade Runner, but additionally One Extra Stage’s Ghostrunner. The metallic streets are rain soaked and dirty, illuminated with glowing inexperienced and blue neon lights. We pan via what seems to be an evening market, and down streets crammed with robotic denizens. It is a bit of extra sci-fi than Evening Metropolis, but it surely’s nonetheless bought that gritty, grungy really feel.
There’s footage of what seem like high-speed trains rolling alongside on rails (monorails? ha ha) and large freight depots, all of which really feel completely primed for a movement-centric expertise. I can completely think about leaping from constructing to constructing, or automotive to automotive, channeling my inside Religion from Mirror’s Edge, or Jack from Ghostrunner. That, in itself, makes me even sadder that we’ll by no means have the ability to play it.
👀🔥 LEAK ⚡️
Nuevo metraje de “Challenge Blackbird”, el MMO de Zenimax On-line cancelado hace meses por Xbox.
Qué ganas le tenía 🥺. pic.twitter.com/4Nz1G22l2F
– eXtas1s 🎮 Noticias & Rumores (@eXtas1stv) January 18, 2026
Now it is a leak, though Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson claims he can “indepently [sic] confirm the footage is actual” in a Sunday, January 18 tweet. If the video is certainly legit, it seems like we have misplaced an actual gem.
Whereas I really like the high-octane motion of Ghostrunner and Mirror’s Edge, the expertise feels considerably railroaded provided that each video games are mission-based. I’ve imagined darting about Dharma Metropolis by myself, exploring its alleyways and slurping ramen at a steamy evening market stall because the rain beats down. Challenge Blackbird appears prefer it might have been that recreation, but it surely merely wasn’t to be.
As Zenimax enters a brand new period of The Elder Scrolls On-line, we chatted to the workforce about unlocking older content material and the revamped seasonal mannequin. Whereas we’ll by no means get to stomp Blackbird’s streets, at the least ESO retains getting larger and higher.
