Blizzard ended development of its untitled survival game on January 25, 2024. The announcement came alongside news that Blizzard president Mike Ybarra had decided to leave and cofounder and Chief Design Officer Allen Adham was also leaving. Blizzard said some members of the game’s team would move to other early-stage projects; it did not disclose a project-specific layoff count.
What happened to Blizzard’s survival game?
Blizzard announced the project in January 2022 as a new survival game for PC and console set in a new universe. The announcement did not give the game a public title or release date. Blizzard described it as an early-stage project and invited experienced developers to join the team. Blizzard’s announcement
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
ARK: Survival Evolved - Nintendo Switch | $34.90 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
ARK: Survival Evolved (PS4) | $18.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
ARK: Survival Ascended - PlayStation 5 | $27.51 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Survivor: Castaway Island Nintendo Switch | $20.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
The Walking Dead: Streets of Survival Deluxe Edition - Nintendo Switch | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
At the end of 2022, then-president Mike Ybarra identified Dan Hay as general manager of the survival game. Blizzard said the team had doubled in size during that year and that it planned to keep growing it; the company did not state a headcount. Blizzard’s year-end update
On January 25, 2024, Microsoft Gaming president of game content and studios Matt Booty announced that Blizzard was ending development. His memo said some of the people working on the game would be shifted to one of several promising new projects Blizzard had in early development. That does not establish that the entire team was reassigned.
#1 Best Overall
- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dyno herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety, and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes, and styles
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout
Was the game called Odyssey?
“Odyssey” was a codename used in contemporaneous media coverage, not a title Blizzard announced to players. Blizzard’s own 2022 announcement called it a new survival game and did not name it. It is therefore most accurate to describe the canceled project as Blizzard’s untitled survival game, while treating “Odyssey” as a reported codename.
Why did Blizzard cancel it?
Booty’s January 2024 memo described a broader effort to focus on products and strategies with promise for future growth and to address overlap across Blizzard and Microsoft Gaming. It announced the cancellation in that strategic context, but did not provide a full postmortem or specify every reason the project ended.
Rank #2
- Use cunning strategy and tactics to tame, train, ride and breed the 100+ dinosaurs and other primeval creatures roaming the dynamic, persistent ecosystems across land, sea, air, and even underground Build your character's strengths and gain items, skills, and pet creatures using in-depth role-playing systems
- Start a tribe with hundreds of other players to survive and dominate competing tribes...and ultimately discover ARK's true purpose
- Build a fire or shelter, then craft customizable clothing & armors to help protect against damage and extreme temperatures on your way to unlocking advanced technologies and equipment
- Chop down trees and mine metal and other precious resources to build massive multi-leveled structures composed of complex snap-linked parts
GameSpot relayed Bloomberg reporting that development began using Unreal Engine and later shifted to Blizzard’s internal Synapse engine, with problems arising from the transition. That engine account is attributed reporting, not an official explanation from Blizzard. GameSpot’s report
How the cancellation related to the executive departures and cuts
In the same January 25, 2024 announcement, Booty said Ybarra had decided to leave after seeing the acquisition through as Blizzard president, and that Adham was leaving. Ybarra said January 25 was his last day at Blizzard. The memo described Ybarra’s departure as his decision; it did not say either executive was laid off as part of the workforce reductions. Game Informer’s report and memo excerpts
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #3
- ARK: Survival Ascended has completely recreated and redesigned the artwork and worlds of ARK to take advantage of the latest in videogame technology, Unreal Engine 5, using high-end graphics features such as fully dynamic Global Illumination (“Lumen”), so that light bounces realistically of off surfaces and provides realistic reflections, and advanced mesh streaming (“Nanite”) of hundreds of millions of triangles for extreme detail.
- Advanced new physics systems such as dynamic water so that every creature creates waves, ripples, splashes, and bubbles as they move through fluids, and fully interactive physical foliage where every blade of grass, bush, and tree reacts to characters, explosions, projectiles, and physics objects.
- ARK: Survival Ascended includes access to all of ARK’s worlds, including Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, ARK Genesis Part 1, ARK Genesis Part 2, and more. The Island is released now, with the subsequent expansion worlds to be added at no additional cost on a regular basis.
- Thorough Quality of Life revamps in every area: redesigned User Interfaces, dynamic navigation for intelligent creature pathfinding, Wild Babies, Photo Mode, new Camera systems, new Map system, Tracking System, new Structures and Items, new Creatures, and much more.
- Cross-Platform Modding: Download & play new custom content created by players, including new maps, creatures, items, and game modes, through a dedicated new Mod-bowser directly within the game! Enjoy an endless stream of new ARK content as the creativity and talent of the community is fully unleashed for the first time ever across gaming platforms!
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer’s memo put the broader workforce reduction at approximately 1,900 roles out of a 22,000-person Microsoft Gaming workforce. That is a company-wide gaming division figure, not a Blizzard-only total and not a count of people who worked on the survival game. Game Informer’s report
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about the project’s status now?
The documented outcome is that development ended in January 2024, before Blizzard announced a consumer release, and that some team members were to move to other early-stage projects. The available announcements and reporting cited here do not establish a later revival or release announcement.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Hard-Hitting Arcade Beat ’Em Up Combat - Use brutal melee abilities, crowd-clearing ranged attacks, or a mix of the two in fast-paced skirmishes. Enjoy responsive, crisp, and satisfying fighting gameplay while exploring the apocalypse.
- Face Iconic Bosses - Take on powerful, fan-favorite walkers like Winslow, the Well Walker, and more. The Saviors provide their own challenges as you throw down with Negan and Simon in intense, multi-phase boss battles that test your skill, strategy, and survival instincts.
- Replayable Arcade Challenge - Master each character’s move set and tackle multiple difficulty levels in an experience built for repeat runs and escalating challenges. Or jump in with an optional Easy Mode for casual play.
Rank #4
- Explore the island to gather resources and build your camp from scratch; Find immunity necklaces to ensure your safety during Tribal Councils
- Earn rewards and immunity by performing well during trials, but be careful not to get exhausted and avoid getting hurt so you don't forfeit
- Form alliances with strategies, read your competitors' personalities, and use everything learned to gain the upper hand during the Tribal Councils
- Enjoy the tropical paradise as you soak in stunning scenery and take in the sun; Watch out, you never know when a coconut might come crashing down
- Think you have what it takes to outdo your friends; Join the multiplayer mode and prove it
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
