Arkane Lyon, the Dishonored studio working on Marvel's Blade, has until November 13 to find a way out or face closure, according to a report from French newspaper Le Monde. VGC and Pure Xbox both picked up the report on October 23. The picture they describe is of a studio inside a legal countdown, more than 200 jobs on the line and a game its own staff say is close to finished.
None of this is a formal closure announcement. But it's the clearest sign yet of where Microsoft's summer review of Arkane is heading.
What the report says
VGC, citing Le Monde via Gematsu, reports that Arkane has until November 13 to find a new buyer or it will be closed, with more than 200 jobs at risk. Pure Xbox frames the same date slightly differently: as the deadline for the French consultation process covering a potential closure, adding that dealings could stretch into early 2027. Pure Xbox notes the Le Monde URL refers to 217 jobs.
On Blade, the accounts line up. Le Monde reports the game is nearing the end of production, according to Pure Xbox, and the union representing Arkane workers told the paper Blade is virtually finished, VGC says, calling the prospect of losing it a "monumental waste."
Microsoft's response, as relayed by the two outlets, differs in emphasis. VGC reports Microsoft told Le Monde it is actively seeking a partner to support the next phase of Blade's development and its release. Pure Xbox quotes a Microsoft representative, translated from French, saying: "We continue to explore different options for Arkane as part of the ongoing French consultation procedure." Read together, Microsoft isn't confirming a closure. It's confirming that a search for another way forward is under way.
How it got here
The process isn't new. In its "Resetting Xbox" post on July 6, Xbox said that "Arkane's management is beginning required consultation with its Works Council" in France to review strategic options for the studio. That came in the same post that, per Pure Xbox, announced 3,200 job cuts and four studio departures.
Pure Xbox adds two useful bits of context: Xbox said in September that the consultation "remains underway" and was expected to run through the end of the year, and French law requires a company in Microsoft's position to look for a buyer for at least three months. Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, quoted by Pure Xbox, says he understands "multiple paths" are being explored.
Why it matters to players
Arkane has a specific place in games. It's the studio behind Dishonored and Dishonored 2, and VGC lists Deathloop (2021) as its last released game. Arkane Lyon's games are known for letting you solve problems your own way, which is exactly the kind of mid-sized, design-led project that tends to struggle inside big restructurings.
Then there's Blade. Marvel's Blade was announced at The Game Awards 2023, and if the union's description is right, it's close to done. A studio sale or a publishing partner could get it released. A closure without one could mean it never ships, which is the worst outcome for players and for the team that built it.
What's next: November 13 is the date to watch. Neither Microsoft nor Arkane has announced a buyer, a partner for Blade or a closure. Until one of them does, everything beyond the consultation itself rests on Le Monde's reporting.
Reporting notes