Marvel's Blade is still in development at Arkane Lyon, IGN reports, but the studio could close if Microsoft doesn't find a buyer by mid-November.
Arkane Lyon is still building Marvel's Blade, but it's doing so with a closure date hanging over it. IGN, citing reporting from French newspaper Le Monde, says the studio's 217 employees are working against a deadline of November 13 to find a buyer.
Why November 13
French law matters here. According to the report, a 2014 rule known as the Florange Law requires companies with more than 1,000 employees to look for a buyer for at least three months before closing a studio. Le Monde says that search for Arkane Lyon, the team behind Dishonored 2 and Deathloop, began in the summer, which puts the end of the window at November 13.
Microsoft told the studio of its decision on July 16, IGN reports, shortly after Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced closures or spinoffs for Compulsion Games, Double Fine Productions, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs. Ninja Theory was closed, while the others went independent and took their franchises with them. Microsoft's gaming cuts affected more than 1,600 jobs at that point, per IGN, and more were expected.
What the union and Microsoft say
A union representative told Le Monde that talks over the redundancy plan are going badly, and the unions are asking for more time. Le Monde reports that several forms of takeover are being considered and that buyers have shown interest in the studio. Negotiations run until October 30, and the union has not ruled out taking Microsoft to court.
Microsoft didn't respond directly to the report. In a statement it said it continues to explore different options for Arkane as part of the French consultation process, and is actively seeking a partner to support the next phase of development and enable the commercialization of the project. An internal document seen by Le Monde says the full shutdown plan would begin at the end of 2026 and run into the first quarter of 2027.
What it means for Marvel's Blade
The game was announced in December 2023 with a reveal trailer, and nothing has been shown since. IGN says it understands that before the July layoffs, Marvel's Blade was on track for a reveal early next year and a release in the fourth quarter of 2027. IGN asked Marvel Games for comment and had not heard back at the time of publication.
In June, Bethesda Game Studios head Todd Howard said he had recently seen what Arkane Lyon was working on and that the team was doing a "really, really great job," according to IGN. That is encouraging, but a good build does not decide who owns a studio. Our read: unless a buyer steps forward, the game's future depends on a deal that nobody has confirmed yet.
Picture credit: Marvel / Arkane Lyon / Bethesda (marvel.com)
