Way back in July, it was reported that Arkane Studios was facing closure as part of Microsoft’s divestment of studios. In addition, it was reported at the time that Arkane Studios’ Marvel’s Blade looked to be following the now-abandoned film reboot, and was going to be cancelled. That apparently now has changed, but the game, and Arkane, are still in a precarious position.
Per Gematsu, based on a report from French newspaper Le Monde, Arkane Studios faces a November 13 deadline in the consultation process surrounding its proposed closure, with “several forms of takeover” reportedly under consideration. Along with the approximately 217 jobs at risk, Marvel’s Blade, which has now reportedly neared the end of production, risks going unreleased if Arkane doesn’t find a publishing partner.
Citing a union representative from Printemps Ecologique, Arkane Studios’ sole representative trade union, several takeover options are being considered as Microsoft seeks a partner for the studio. The process for finding a buyer was kicked off during the summer after Xbox Game Studios confirmed the layoffs and divestments. Under France’s Florange Law, companies with at least 1,000 employees are required to seek a buyer when planning certain closures involving large-scale layoffs.
The November 13 deadline marks the end of consultations with Arkane Studios’ Social and Economic Committee.
Microsoft separately told Le Monde that it was “actively seeking a partner to support the next phase of development and enable the commercialization of the [Marvel’s Blade] project.”
Arkane Studios first announced Marvel’s Blade back in 2023. The representative of the developer’s union said that it “would be a monumental waste” if the game went unreleased, while the Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Video (the French video game workers union) said it was proud of the on the title, and believes that if the game were released, it would be a success.