Marvel’s Blade nears completion as Arkane Lyon seeks partner

Marvel’s Blade may be nearing the end of production at Arkane Lyon, but Microsoft is seeking a partner by Nov. 13 to support the game’s development and potential release. Without a buyer or partner, the French studio could close and the game could be canceled.

Microsoft is exploring options for Arkane Lyon and looking for a company to support the next phase of development. The works council consultation is scheduled to end Nov. 13, when Microsoft is expected to decide the studio’s future.

About 217 employees could lose their jobs if the studio closes. Documents published on France’s Legifrance legal platform refer to the permanent end of Arkane Lyon’s activities and the dismissal of its entire workforce. A separate document places the possible closure between the end of 2026 and early 2027.

Unions representing employees say several takeover options are being considered. They have requested extensions to the deadlines, challenged Microsoft’s economic justification for the closure and have not ruled out legal action or a strike.

Union representatives are also asking players to support the studio by highlighting the risk to Blade. One delegate described a possible cancellation as a “monumental waste.” The STJV union said employees are proud of the work completed so far and believe the game could succeed if released.

Marvel’s Blade entered development in 2022 and was announced publicly in December 2023. The single-player action game is being developed by Arkane Lyon, the studio behind Dishonored and Deathloop.

Microsoft acquired Arkane Lyon’s parent company, ZeniMax Media, in 2021. It closed Arkane Austin in May 2024 during a broader restructuring. In July, Microsoft announced about 1,600 job cuts and ended its relationship with four other studios.

France’s Florange law requires companies to seek a buyer for sites facing closure for three months before shutting them down.