Arkane union says closing the studio "would probably be more expensive" for Xbox than simply finishing development on Marvel's Blade
The union says closing Arkane would cost more than finishing Marvel's Blade and is seeking worker protections as Microsoft searches for a buyer.
- Microsoft set a December deadline for Arkane to find a buyer, placing the storied 25-year-old studio and its upcoming Marvel's Blade project in jeopardy as Xbox completes sweeping divestments.
- STJV blamed Microsoft for instituting a 19-month hiring freeze that artificially inflated Blade's budget and caused delays, accusing the corporation of "sabotaging the game it funded."
- Ubisoft Entertainment reportedly bid for the studio while STJV demanded redundancy payments of roughly $225,000 per employee, calling Microsoft's current package "outrageously low" should acquisition talks fail.
- Closing Arkane would likely cost more than finishing the game, STJV argues, yet 217 employees face uncertainty as Microsoft prioritizes short-term profit optimization over project completion.
- Arkane is not the only developer facing cuts; Ninja Theory, Double Fine, and Undead Labs have also endured staff layoffs following Xbox's broader sweeping divestments across first-party studios.
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18 Articles
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 […]
Microsoft is charged with sabotage of Arkane, freezing of employees, extra costs, closing of the studio, interest of companies in ransom.
Xbox would probably spend more money on handling Arkane Lyon than to finalize and publish Marvel's Blade, a union representing the staff of the popular Immersive Sim studio. read more
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