Also, that’s an remarkably scathing interview for current employees. No way they could do that without a union.

Also also, the game they inexplicably canned well into development sounds awesome: https://www.trueachievements.com/news/canceled-xbox-mmo-project-blackbird

Traversal was a core aspect of the game, with Exodus offering a vertical playground for players to explore, equipping players with a grappling hook, and, according to our source, you’d have been able to “climb and wall-run on any surface.” The team wanted movement to feel natural and fun, similar to that found in games like Spider-Man and the driving in GTA.

Interestingly, our source tells us that ZeniMax had been toying with ideas for multiplayer side content away from the combat that would put the traversal system to good use, included races and obstacle courses. One mode the team had been toying with was like a blend of basketball and Quidditch. Our source says, “There was a ball to dunk into a ring, and you could pass or shoot,” offering an experience that felt a little like Titanfall 2, although not as fast.

Maybe it was a little too anti-corpo for Microsoft?