A union representing workers at Arkane Lyon has stated that closing the studio would likely be more costly for Xbox than completing and releasing the upcoming Marvel's Blade game. The STJV (Syndicat des travailleureuses du jeu vidéo) claimed in a statement on its website that development on Marvel's Blade is progressing well and is on par with Arkane's previous acclaimed titles. The union also asserted that Microsoft's decision to divest from the studio constitutes "sabotaging the game it funded."
Following widespread job cuts and divestments across several first-party studios, Arkane was recently given until December to secure a new buyer. Ubisoft Entertainment is reportedly among the interested parties, though no deal has been finalized.
The union attributes many of the studio's difficulties to Microsoft, citing a year-long hiring freeze that allegedly inflated the game's budget and caused internal delays. "Microsoft now use those same delay and additional costs as a reason to close the studio," the statement read. "Even this closure itself is done against any financial logic, as closing Arkane today would probably be more expensive than finishing the game." The union further stated that Microsoft's decision is based on "stone cold and inhuman logic" prioritizing short-term financial goals over employees, projects, and dreams, asserting that Arkane is profitable, though "not profitable for Microsoft."
The union's demands include giving employees a say in selecting a potential buyer and protections against future layoffs. If acquisition talks fail, the union is also demanding a redundancy payment of €200,000 per employee and additional support, claiming that Microsoft's current redundancy package is insufficient.
Arkane Lyon is not the only studio affected by Xbox's recent actions. Other developers like Double Fine, Compulsion Games, and Undead Labs have reportedly managed to regain independence but were forced to lay off staff. Hellblade developer Ninja Theory also faces an uncertain future.