Arkane Lyon’s Closure Consultation Extended by One Month, With 217 Jobs at Risk
Microsoft says the extra month will give it time to consider a buyer or a partner for Marvel's Blade, while 217 jobs remain at risk.
Microsoft has extended its consultation over Arkane Lyon’s proposed closure by one month, moving the process beyond its original Nov. 13 buyer-search deadline. The studio’s future remains unresolved, with 217 jobs at risk.
Le Monde: Arkane Lyon (Blade) has until November 13th to find a buyer (217 jobs at risk).
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A Microsoft representative told PC Gamer that the extension gives the company more time to consider options, including a partner to support Arkane through the remaining development work on Marvel’s Blade. Microsoft said it would keep the Works Council informed and that closure language in consultation documents does not represent a final decision.
France’s Florange Law requires companies with more than 1,000 employees that plan to close a facility to seek a buyer first. Arkane management told employees on July 16 that Xbox intended to close the studio, 10 days after layoffs were announced. Formal negotiations were due to continue through October, with Nov. 13 set as the initial buyer-search deadline.
A method agreement signed on July 24 by Arkane Studios SAS and its sole representative union, Printemps Écologique, describes a plan to end all company activity and dismiss every employee for economic reasons. Published on Legifrance on Aug. 10, it concerns a proposed closure, not a completed shutdown. If no buyer is found, the French Social and Economic Committee is the next stage before a final decision on the studio’s future.
Printemps Écologique representative Simon told Le Monde that several takeover options were under consideration, though confidentiality limited what he could disclose. He asked for more time to negotiate the redundancy plan and continue the buyer search, and described talks over the employee protection plan, or PSE, as going badly. The STJV, which is involved with the company but is not an elected representative, also sought an extension.
Union representatives are challenging the restructuring in court. One representative told Le Monde that Microsoft had assured Arkane it was on secure financial footing before the closure plan emerged, and accused the company of misleading the studio.
Accounts of Marvel’s Blade‘s remaining development differ. Union representatives said the game was nearing the end of production and that studio spokespeople believed it could succeed if released. Sources close to Arkane told Le Monde that the project still has years of development ahead. Arkane Lyon revealed the game at The Game Awards in 2023.
What would you want a buyer or development partner to preserve at Arkane Lyon? Follow the search for a buyer and the consultation’s next steps on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
