Gaming
STJV says a 19-month freeze drove Arkane’s Blade delays
The STJV says work on Blade is going well and argues that closing Arkane could cost more than letting the game reach completion.
Arkane Lyon’s STJV union says Microsoft’s 19-month hiring freeze delayed Marvel’s Blade, and that the company is now using the resulting costs to justify closing the studio.
The STJV says work on Blade is going well and the game should match Arkane’s usual quality. It also says Arkane is profitable, though not profitable enough for Microsoft, and argues that closing the studio could cost more than letting the game reach completion. If that comparison holds, shutting down mid-project would be a costly way to cut costs.
The buyer search has consequences for the team
The Lyon studio’s 217 staff, along with contractors and freelancers, face losing their jobs unless a buyer is found. Microsoft has extended the deadline to find a buyer, but a sale is not assured.
Ubisoft may be a potential buyer: GamesIndustry.biz reports that it is reportedly seeking to acquire Arkane Lyon.
The STJV wants workers to have a say in choosing a buyer, along with protections for staff laid off by a new owner within two years. If no buyer is found, the union is seeking $223,000 per worker and two years of Microsoft-funded redeployment support.
Arkane was founded in 1999 and is best known for Dishonored and Prey. Microsoft acquired its parent company, ZeniMax, in 2021, and Xbox closed Arkane Austin in 2024. That history makes the threat to Arkane Lyon more than a question of one project’s future.
The STJV wants Arkane to keep making games after this project and release Blade to players.