Fallout 5 has allegedly been “fully greenlit” by Microsoft after Bethesda cancelled its MMO codenamed Blackbird.
Fallout 5 has reportedly been “fully greenlit” at Bethesda Game Studios.
Following the cancellation of Project Blackbird during Microsoft’s recent restructure, insider Jez Corden has claimed Bethesda has officially greenlit Fallout 5, redirecting resources after dropping its in-development MMO.
In a recent episode of The Xbox Two Podcast, Corden said: “From what I heard, it was a case of ‘Do we want to sink a ton of money into getting this [Project Blackbird] to a point … or do we want to allocate that investment towards making Fallout 5?’”
Corden added that Bethesda feels like allocating money to the next Fallout game would “translate into a more surefire win” than a riskier MMO.
Although Fallout 5 is said to be progressing, it’s uncertain which studio is heading development.
Corden noted that the core Bethesda team remain busy with Starfield DLC and The Elder Scrolls VI.
Project Blackbird was being developed by ZeniMax Online Studios since around 2018, with a team of roughly 300 people and using a bespoke engine for a vertical‑movement, looter‑shooter MMO similar to Destiny.
It had reportedly earned praise from Xbox executives in early 2025 before being abruptly cancelled during broader Microsoft layoffs this month – which is said to have affected over 9,000 employees across multiple studios.
Fallout 5 ‘has been fully greenlit at Bethesda’
