Ex-Elder Scrolls Online leads form new self-funded studio

Unfortunately, following the cancellation of Project Blackbird earlier this year, a good chunk of Zenimax Online Studios employees were let go. However, on the lighter side of things it seems that some of the laid off employees are now boldly forging their own path ahead at the brand-new Sackbird Studios.

As announced via its own website, Sackbird Studios is self-funded, with no outside investors. It's employee-owned, meaning that the people making the games have full creative control over their games.

"After years in AAA, we wanted the freedom to take smart risks without waiting for a greenlight or chasing quarterly targets," said Sackbird COO David Worley. "We're fully employee-owned and funded, which means we only answer to people who are passionate about games."

"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," added CEO Lee Ridout.

Sackbird Studios did not announce its first project, but it is working on a game for PC and consoles. We're expecting more from the studio when it's ready to share.