Arkane Survival Negotiations Reportedly Weighing “Several Forms of Takeover” Ahead of November Deadline as Marvel’s Blade Production Nears End

217 jobs are on the line at the studio, report claims

Negotiations over the future of the Dishonored and Deathloop developers, Arkane Lyon, are reportedly considering “several forms of takeover” as a November deadline looms for the split Xbox set in motion back in July. Under French law, the process of closing down or shedding studios is considerably harder for companies like Microsoft than it is elsewhere in the world, which is why Arkane’s fate remains undecided while production on Marvel’s Blade nears completion, according to the report.

French publication Le Monde is behind this paywalled report on how the negotiations between the two sides are progressing. It notes that, due to a French law introduced in 2014, companies with more than 1,000 staff must search for a buyer for three months before they can shut down operations. In the case of Arkane Lyon, the report says 217 jobs are at risk.

The deadline for these consultations with Arkane’s Social and Economic Committee (via Gematsu) is November 13th, meaning there is not much time left to find a buyer and settle a deal, or to reach some other arrangement. The report cites a representative of the Printemps Écologique union, who, alongside the Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo (STJV) union, apparently are not entirely satisfied with Microsoft’s attitude throughout the process so far.

Microsoft told Le Monde that it is “actively seeking a partner to support the next phase of development and enable the commercialisation of the [Marvel’s Blade] project”. According to a union rep cited in the report, the superhero game is “nearing the end” of production, with the unions understandably backing Arkane’s work and hoping that it will see the light of day.

Xbox wrote, as part of an announcement of layoffs in September — the second of multiple waves in a mass restructuring that still is not over as of writing — that it expected consultation over how Arkane will move forward “to continue through the end of the year”.

Solidarity to all of the developers at Arkane, and here’s hoping these negotiations do end with a result that keeps the maximum amount of them in work and making the games they want to make.