Arkane union says closing the studio "would probably be more expensive" for Xbox than simply finishing development on Marvel's Blade
The French union says closing Arkane would likely cost Microsoft more than finishing Marvel's Blade and wants workers to help choose any buyer.
- The French union STJV blamed Microsoft for "sabotaging" the studio Arkane, arguing that development on Marvel's Blade is "going fine" despite the company's plan to close it before year-end.
- Microsoft imposed a 19-month hiring freeze that STJV says artificially inflated Blade's budget and caused internal delays; the union claims Microsoft now uses these self-inflicted costs to justify closing the studio.
- Closing Arkane would impact 217 employees, yet the union argues shutting down would cost more than finishing Blade. STJV called the decision a "brutal application of a never-ending search for maximum profit."
- Ubisoft Entertainment is reportedly interested in buying Arkane, though nothing has been finalized; if acquisition talks fail, STJV demands roughly $225,000 per employee in redundancy payments plus post-employment benefits.
- Beyond redundancy packages, the union demands employees have a say in choosing potential buyers and require protections against future layoffs. Arkane faces a December deadline to secure a new owner.
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Arkane union says closing the studio "would probably be more expensive" for Xbox than simply finishing development on Marvel's Blade
Xbox would probably spend more money shutting down Arkane Lyon than it would trying to finish and release Marvel's Blade, according to a union representing workers from the beloved imsim studio.
Arkane Devs Fear Studio Shutdown Could Still Happen Despite Attracting Buyers
In case 2026 hasn’t already been an indication, not everything is copacetic in the game development industry. Today, union workers for Arkane Studios are unleashing a torrent of allegations leveled at Microsoft in a letter posted on the website of Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo (STJV), an independent French video game union. The letter […]
According to the STJV, the union that protects workers, Microsoft itself sabotaged the development of Marvel's Blade, meaning that Arkane Lyon's Blade game has not been released yet because the developers are struggling. According to the Bloomberg article, it is not out of the question that Ubisoft will take over the Dishonored and Deathloop studios from Xbox.
Arkane's union accuses Microsoft of sabotaging the firm, demanding greater protection and compensation for workers. While Arkane Lyon remains in search of a definitive buyer, the fate of the French firm and Marvel's Blade always appear uncertain. To cast further shadows on this difficult situation are the accusations by Arkane's union, according to which Xbox herself sabotaged the development of the new study game.
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