Dishonored Dev Arkane Has Until November 13 To Find Buyer

Dishonored Developer Arkane Has Until November 13 To Find A Buyer And Save Blade Published Oct 23, 2026, 11:10 AM EDT James Lucas is an Executive Editor at TheGamer who has worked in professional journalism since 2018. A Newcastle University graduate with a degree in Journalism, Media, and Culture, they have written hundreds of guides, news stories, and original reports, with bylines in IGN, NME, GaymingMag, and VG247, sourcing interviews with studio heads, legendary industry figures, prominent actors, and more. An expert on FPS games, Soulslikes, RPGs, and survival horror, James has intimate knowledge of a wide variety of titles, providing in-depth coverage and exclusive profiles. Some of the games they have extensively covered include: Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Elden Ring, and Fallout. They pride themselves on their consistently thorough research, leveraging nearly a decade of industry experience. You can reach them at James.t@thegamer.com Sign in to your TheGamer account Dishonored and Deathloop developer Arkane Lyon was saved from the overseer's saber earlier this year amid mass layoffs and restructuring across Xbox, as France's Florange Law—which grants companies with over 1,000 employees three months to search for a buyer for before closing—forced Microsoft to offer a grace period. Unfortunately, however, the deadline is now imminent. According to French outlet Le Monde, a representative for the Printemps écologique union confirmed that "negotiations on the redundancy plan are going badly." The union is currently pushing to extend the deadline "to give the discussions a better chance of reaching a conclusion," while remaining "hopeful of saving the studio and its jobs." Arkane Austin was shut down in 2024 due to what Microsoft called a "“reprioritization of titles and resources." Approximately 217 jobs are at risk, alongside the studio's current project, Marvel's Blade, which is "nearing the end" of production. Should the studio fail to find a buyer and Microsoft proceeds with the closure, a process scheduled to be executed between late 2026 and early 2027, the game risks cancellation. Union representatives warned this outcome would be "a monumental, human, and commercial waste." Union Reps Insist That Marvel's Blade "Will Be A Success" Arkane To avert the closure, the union rep noted that "several forms of takeover are being considered." Printemps écologique is also not ruling out taking Microsoft to court to challenge the closure, insisting it "is in complete contradiction with what we've been told in the Works Council for years about the company's financial situation." They allege that "the studio is doing well," suggesting Xbox is shuttering it merely to "improve the profitability of its short-term investments," with the STJV adding that strikes remain on the table. Printemps écologique has argued that measures should be negotiated with Xbox to "facilitate the reemployability" of laid-off employees, noting that any layoff plan "must be adapted to the video game market, where the prospects for returning to work are currently very low." In the meantime, the unions hope that raising awareness around the threat to Blade will "gain the support of gamers," with the STJV assuring that "if it can be released, it will be a success." Released October 9, 2012 ESRB M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language Developer(s) Arkane Studios Publisher(s) Bethesda Engine Unreal Engine 3 Franchise Dishonored Genre(s) Action, Adventure, Stealth