Ubisoft Reportedly Among Multiple Bidders for Xbox’s Arkane Studios
Arkane Studios may be closer to finding a new home. According to a new report from Bloomberg, multiple companies have submitted offers to acquire the Dishonored and Deathloop developer from Xbox, with Ubisoft said to be among the interested buyers as Microsoft’s deadline to find a solution for the studio closes in.
Who’s in the Running
Citing people familiar with the negotiations, Bloomberg reports that Ubisoft is one of at least three companies that have made offers for Arkane, with two other unnamed gaming companies also in the mix. Xbox has reportedly weighed a different path too, considering whether to sell the studio to its own management and let it operate independently. No agreement has been reached with any potential buyer so far. Asked for comment, an Xbox spokesperson would only confirm that the company is exploring its options ahead of a December deadline, declining to elaborate further.
Deathloop, released in 2021, is one of the games that shows off the style of immersive sim design Arkane is known for.
Why Ubisoft, of All Companies
On paper, Ubisoft taking over Arkane is an odd fit. The publisher has gone through its own rough stretch this year, with layoffs announced in January, March, June and October alone, on top of wider financial struggles across the company. Still, Arkane’s expertise in immersive sims could complement some of Ubisoft’s biggest franchises, from Assassin’s Creed to Far Cry, and both studios being based in France could make the logistics of a deal easier than selling to a company abroad.
The Clock Is Still Running on Marvel’s Blade
Gamersuniverse previously covered Microsoft’s decision to push Arkane Lyon’s buyer deadline from November 13 into December, a move required under France’s Florange Law before a company of Arkane’s size can be shut down. That extended window is what’s now playing out, with Arkane’s work on the Marvel’s Blade adaptation hanging in the balance depending on who, if anyone, ends up taking over the 217-person studio. Blade was first revealed at The Game Awards in 2023, and reporting at the time of the deadline extension suggested the game still has a fair amount of development left ahead of it.
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Picture Source: Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks, Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks
My experience with high-stakes studio acquisitions shows that internal team morale is often a more crucial factor than the reported offers. I noticed that the deadline pressure might affect the creative environment significantly.