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January 18, 2026, 5:38 PM EST. Two minutes of in-engine footage from ZeniMax Online Studio's canceled Project Blackbird has leaked online. Insider Gaming verifies the clip as legitimate, saying it was used internally to showcase lighting in Unreal Engine 4. The footage appears amid years of speculation about the MMO, which Microsoft canceled in July 2025 as part of mass layoffs. The decision cost about 300 developers and led to the departure of studio president Matt Firor. At the time, Microsoft Gaming had not disclosed a reason for the cancellation, even as discussions around a planned 2028 release date circulated among insiders. The leak underscores ongoing interest in the project as collectors and analysts scrutinize the studio's canceled slate.