Project Ignite: Inside Dark Outlaw Games' Canceled DOOM Eternal and Call of Duty Zombies PlayStation Shooter
Shut down by Sony Interactive Entertainment in March 2026 before ever showing a single frame of public footage, PlayStation first-party studio Dark Outlaw Games, founded by longtime Call of Duty: Zombies architect Jason Blundell, left fans wondering what the team had been building behind closed doors. A 22-minute video investigation by community creator Glitching Queen, alongside internal design documents and production emails, has now revealed the studio's canceled project under its internal codename: Project Ignite (Ignite).
Project Ignite: Merging DOOM Eternal's Ferocity With Call of Duty Set Pieces
While longtime fans assumed Jason Blundell's PlayStation studio would simply build a spiritual successor to Treyarch's round-based undead formula, Ignite's design documents describe a dark fantasy FPS modeled closely after DOOM Eternal in both combat pacing and level design. That heavy emphasis on relentless momentum echoes the modern shooter standard set by id Software, whose leadership recently addressed how the studio is partnering with MachineGames to keep the DOOM franchise thriving.
Playable both solo and in co-op, the game featured a linear, story-driven campaign structured across distinct levels. Each mission was built around choreographed set pieces and cinematic events matching the scale and spectacle of mainline Call of Duty campaigns.
Vampiric Amulet Combat and a Three-Layer Anatomical Gore System
At the heart of Project Ignite's combat loop was an aggressive risk-reward mechanic centered on brut gore. The player character wore a mystical amulet that literally fed off the damage inflicted on monsters: dealing heavier punishment directly replenished health and amplified the player's combat power.
To make that feedback loop as tactile and graphic as possible, Dark Outlaw Games engineered a multi-layered anatomical destruction system:
- Three-Layer Enemy Dissection: enemies were built with distinct layers of skin, muscle, and bone that tore away progressively depending on which firearm or melee strike the player used.
- A Dedicated Zombies-Style Horde Mode: alongside the linear co-op campaign, Ignite included a full horde mode infused with Blundell's signature Call of Duty: Zombies DNA, complete with intricate Easter Eggs, hidden quests, and mini-games.
Why PlayStation Canceled Ignite Before Blundell Founded Magic Fractal
With a pitch combining DOOM Eternal's anatomical combat loop and co-op Zombies secrets, why did Sony Interactive Entertainment pull the plug in early 2026? Internal executive emails indicate that Project Ignite was not shelved due to any specific creative failure, but rather because PlayStation leadership reprioritized its overall portfolio budget amid broader industry headwinds, the same cost-cutting wave that recently saw Sony cancel Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble ahead of its global launch.
Following the closures of both Deviation Games and Dark Outlaw Games, Jason Blundell has already embarked on his next chapter, teaming up with creator and former colleague James "JCbackfire" Farmer to launch an independent studio named Magic Fractal Studios.
My Take
Reading through Project Ignite's design pillars stings for anyone who loves fast-paced shooters. Pairing DOOM Eternal's anatomical gore and aggressive health-leech loop with Jason Blundell's unmatched knack for co-op Zombies Easter Eggs sounds like the exact kind of brut first-person action PlayStation's PS5 lineup has been missing. Hopefully Blundell can carry the best parts of that blueprint into Magic Fractal without corporate portfolio shifts pulling the rug out from under his team again.
SEO consultant for over 20 years and digital entrepreneur, Charles "Grimtag" is the founder of Pro-Gamer.gg, Retrocharting.com, and Gamescharting.com. A competitive gamer, streamer, and retro game collector, he has worked in the video game industry for over 15 years, notably as a consultant for leading game price comparison platforms. Passionate about real-time performance data and gaming technology, he analyzes competitive esports, gaming hardware benchmarks, and creator workflows on Pro-Gamer.gg with an authentic player perspective.
