Report: Ubisoft has made an offer to buy Arkane Studios from Microsoft, and two other companies have reportedly made offers of their own, according to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier. Insider Gaming says it independently confirmed the Ubisoft offer. No deal has been reached.
What the report says
Schreier reports that Ubisoft is one of three companies that have offered to acquire the studio behind Dishonored and Prey. Xbox has also reportedly discussed selling Arkane to its own management, a route similar to the ones Compulsion Games and Double Fine took. The other two bidders have not been named.
According to one person with knowledge cited in the reporting, Arkane had been of interest to Ubisoft “for some time,” and the idea of an offer was floated before the studio’s status went public over the summer.
Is a sale confirmed?
No. There is no agreement on any deal yet, and neither Xbox nor Ubisoft has commented. Insider Gaming says it has reached out to both companies.
Why the timing matters
Arkane Lyon originally faced a November 13 deadline to find a buyer or risk closure. Microsoft then extended the consultation to December 13, and these offers land inside that extra month. A sale could also decide the fate of Marvel’s Blade, the studio’s long-running project.
Arkane was one of five studios Xbox moved to close or sell as part of the restructuring announced in July under CEO Asha Sharma. The full report is on Insider Gaming.
