Xbox canceled an unannounced PvP first-person shooter from Bethesda Softworks, according to former producer’s resume.
The LinkedIn profile of former Bethesda Softworks producer Alex Jones (via bogorad222 on Twitter/X) states that he supported production on an unannounced PvP first-person shooter that was subsequently canceled. The scrapped game is likely to be MachineGames’ Project Platinum. It was in development at some point during 2021 and 2025.
For the uninitiated, Project Platinum was an unreleased first-person shooter that was reportedly in development at MachineGames. The project first appeared during the FTC vs Microsoft court proceedings in 2023, where leaked documents described it as a competitive, objective-based tactical shooter similar to games such as Counter-Strike and Rainbow Six Siege.
Unlike MachineGames’ established franchises, Project Platinum was reportedly planned as a standalone multiplayer-focused title. Leaked information suggested that it would feature a variety of maps inspired by different architectural themes, including a Middle Eastern environment and a stylized railway station, as well as game modes focused on objectives such as hostage rescue. Although the game was once given a tentative release window, former employees subsequently said that development was discontinued. The studio instead focused on its single-player projects, including Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Wolfenstein.
According to a recent report from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Bethesda parent company ZeniMax Media will undergo a major overhaul and pivot its resources toward its biggest and most established franchise, namely The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Doom, Quake, and Wolfenstein. However, Microsoft’s latest restructuring efforts will have Xbox eliminate 3,200 jobs, around 20% of the division’s workforce, over the next year, beginning with 1,600 recent cuts. The latter includes major layoffs at id Software and ZeniMax Online Studios. “Studios in the Bethesda organization like id Software (Doom) and ZeniMax Online Studios (Elder Scrolls Online) are not shutting down but are cutting a significant number of staff this morning, per sources,” said Schreier.
