Microsoft plans to shut down Arkane Studios this year, even with Marvel's Blade nearing completion
, by Thibaut
We will soon learn the fate of Arkane Studios as part of Xbox's big "reset." The mandatory consultation with the Social and Economic Committee (CSE) will end on November 13 and is unfortunately expected to result in the studio's closure.
In an article published by Le Monde, a union representative from Printemps Écologique stated that he remains "hopeful that the studio and its jobs can be saved." Several takeover options are being considered, but there’s no guarantee that Xbox will accept them. He also added that the American company wants to part ways with Arkane even though the studio "is doing well" and production of Marvel’s Blade "is nearing completion". Asha Sharma, the president of Xbox, could therefore scrap a project that is nearing completion, all for the sole purpose of "saving money and improving short-term return on investment."
Le Monde contacted Microsoft to try to obtain information regarding the outcome of this story. The tech giant remained very evasive, though it did state that it is "actively seeking a partner to support the next phase of development and enable the project’s release." Is this cause for hope regarding the release of Blade? Who knows...
Indeed, and to conclude on a rather gloomy note, the newspaper reports that an internal document states that the "total and definitive cessation of operations is scheduled to take effect at the end of 2026". It’s rather difficult to see Marvel’s Blade coming out in the near future.
Source: lemonde.fr