Microsoft plans to offload Dishonored and Marvel’s Blade developer Arkane Studios as part of its widespread layoffs across Xbox and other Microsoft divisions. Because Arkane is headquartered in Lyon, France, Xbox has been required to comply with French labor laws and to seek a potential buyer for the studio.
Ubisoft, the maker of Assassin’s Creed, has reportedly submitted an offer for Arkane, according to a Tuesday report by Bloomberg. Ubisoft is one of at least three companies to have put in a bid for Arkane. Xbox is also considering selling Arkane to its own management, Bloomberg said.
The future of Arkane came into doubt last month when negotiations over a redundancy plan for potentially laid-off employees reportedly faltered ahead of a Nov. 13 deadline. That deadline for Arkane to find a new home was extended, and Xbox is “exploring options” for what to do with Arkane ahead of its December deadline, Bloomberg said. Xbox has not accepted any offer at this time.
The future of Marvel’s Blade
Marvel’s Blade was announced nearly three years ago at the 2023 The Game Awards. Arkane has kept quiet about it since, and its internal ship date was pushed back to late 2027.
If Arkane escapes being shut down by Microsoft and is sold elsewhere, it will likely be able to finish development on its game starring The Daywalker. According to Bloomberg, Blade is “expected to be released within the next year or two.”
Blade is a fan-favorite Marvel character who is a dhampir, a hybrid of a vampire and a human. He has appeared in Marvel’s Midnight Suns, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, Marvel Rivals, and more.
Have thoughts, questions, or benchmarks on this topic? Join the discussion on our forums.
Join Discussion ➔
3 comments