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Xbox Accused Of 'Sabotaging' Arkane As It Tries To Finish Blade
Kotaku • • technology
Key Points:
- Xbox faces a December deadline to find a buyer for Arkane Studios, the developer behind Dishonored and Deathloop, amid concerns the studio may be shut down.
- The French game union Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo (STJV) accuses Microsoft of "sabotaging" Arkane's work on Marvel’s Blade by imposing a 19-month hiring freeze, which they say has delayed progress and increased costs.
- Marvel’s Blade, announced in 2022, is still years from release, and the union argues that closing Arkane now would likely be more costly than completing the game.
- Microsoft has reportedly received acquisition bids from companies including Ubisoft and has explored a management buyout, but the future of Arkane remains uncertain.
- STJV calls on Microsoft to provide substantial redundancy payments and benefits if the studio closes, criticizing the decision as driven solely by profit optimization despite Arkane being profitable.
