As the fate of Arkane Lyon hangs in the balance, a union representing workers from the French studio offered strong words toward Arkane's parent company, Microsoft. In short, the union blames Microsoft for "sabotaging" the production of its Blade game.
French trade union STJV (per VGC) claimed that development on Marvel's Blade is "going fine," but said that workers face the "harsh reality" that Microsoft may close the studio for financial reasons. But the union said that the onus for Arkane's tough financial situation is on Microsoft itself, claiming that a hiring freeze that lasted 19 months "artificially caused delay and additional cost."
STJV asserts that closing Arkane would be more costly than finishing Marvel's Blade, adding that a studio closure would be the result of Microsoft's "never-ending search for maximum profit optimization." The union argues that Arkane is profitable, but "not profitable enough for Microsoft."
The union's statement lists demands that include protections for employees and giving workers a say in a potential buyer for Arkane. In accordance with French labor laws, the studio has been in a "consultation period" since Xbox began its reset earlier this year, and it was recently granted an extra month to find a buyer before facing closure. A recent report suggests that three companies, including Ubisoft, submitted bids to acquire Arkane.
Arkane is perhaps best known for developing the Dishonored games. Its Arkane Lyon team is primarily responsible for Dishonored 2 and Deathloop, while its sister team in Austin developed Prey and Redfall before Microsoft closed Arkane Austin in 2024.
Bethesda and Arkane Lyon announced Marvel's Blade at The Game Awards 2023, but besides the release of official concept art showcasing the game's setting of Paris, practically nothing of the game has been shown since then. The title's future remains as unclear as the fate of its developer.