Arkane Lyon, the French studio behind Dishonored and Deathloop, has until Nov. 13 to find a buyer, according to a report from French newspaper Le Monde, as reported by Gematsu. Xbox announced plans to divest the studio in July.
Le Monde’s report cites a representative of Printemps Ecologique, the studio’s sole representative trade union. The Nov. 13 date marks the end of consultations with Arkane’s Social and Economic Committee over the proposed closure. About 217 jobs are at risk, and “several forms of takeover” are reportedly under consideration. The deadline comes from Le Monde’s reporting and union statements, not from Arkane itself.
The search for a buyer began in midsummer under France’s Florange Law, which requires companies with at least 1,000 employees to seek a buyer when planning certain closures that involve large-scale layoffs.
Marvel’s Blade hangs in the balance
Microsoft told Le Monde that it was “actively seeking a partner to support the next phase of development and enable the commercialization” of Marvel’s Blade, the action game Arkane announced in 2023. The union representative told the paper the game “is nearing the end” of production and said it “would be a monumental waste” if it never came out. The French video game workers union, the Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Video, said it was proud of the work completed and believes the game would be a success if released.
Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier added a more hopeful note later in the day. “My understanding is that there are multiple paths actively being explored that would save Arkane Lyon,” he said. “Anything can happen during negotiations, but at this point I’d be surprised if the studio is shut down.”
No buyer has been named, and no final decision on the studio’s future has been announced. Arkane Lyon was among the studios affected by the Xbox restructuring that RCG covered in September.
