{"id":2021022,"date":"2026-07-01T08:53:42","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T05:53:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2021022"},"modified":"2026-07-01T08:53:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T05:53:42","slug":"dishonored-developer-arkane-is-reportedly-one-of-five-studios-microsoft-is-targeting-to-close-down-as-part-of-its-big-reset","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2021022","title":{"rendered":"Dishonored developer Arkane is reportedly one of five studios Microsoft is targeting to close down as part of its big &#8216;reset&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article \" data-ads=\"true\" data-article-type=\"news\" data-article-group=\"news\" data-paywalled=\"false\" data-premium=\"false\" data-sponsored=\"false\" data-type=\"article\">\n<header class=\"article_header\" data-component=\"article-header\">\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<nav class=\"nav_breadcrumbs\" data-component=\"nav-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\n<ul class=\"nav-links\">\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Home<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/news\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      News<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/marvels-blade\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Marvel&#8217;s Blade<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_details\" id=\"main-content\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">Dishonored developer Arkane is reportedly one of five studios Microsoft is targeting to close down as part of its big &#8216;reset&#8217;<\/h1>\n<p class=\"strapline\">That don&#8217;t Empress me much.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_asset\">\n<figure class=\"headline_image_wrapper\">\n<p>        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"headline_image\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/Marvel%E2%80%99s-Blade-_-Announcement-Trailer---The-Game-Awards-2023-1-5-screenshot.png?width=570&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;dpr=3&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Marvel&apos;s Blade puts on his shades to go vampire hunting, in this still from Arkane Lyon&apos;s first trailer for the project.\" loading=\"eager\" data-uri=\"Marvel%E2%80%99s-Blade-_-Announcement-Trailer---The-Game-Awards-2023-1-5-screenshot.png\" data-lightbox width=\"570\" height=\"240\"><figcaption>\n          <span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Arkane Lyon \/ Eurogamer<\/cite><\/span><br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metadata\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Sherif Saed avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/IMG_1950_Uy1XomJ.JPG?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"1638\" height=\"1346\"><\/p>\n<p>  <img alt=\"Sherif Saed avatar\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-uri=\"IMG_1950_Uy1XomJ.JPG\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"1638\" height=\"1346\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n                  <span class=\"article_type\" data-slug=\"news\"><br \/>\n                    News<br \/>\n                  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"by\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/authors\/sherif-saed\">Sherif Saed<\/a><\/span>                    <span class=\"job_title\"><br \/>\n                      Senior Contributor<br \/>\n                    <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n<div class=\"published_at\">\nPublished on <time datetime=\"2026-07-01T08:53:42+00:00\">July 1, 2026<\/time>              <\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">\n      <a class=\"comments__link comments-bubble\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/arkane-may-be-shuttered-blade-cancelled-xbox-layoffs?view=comments\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n          19 comments<br \/>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mypop-header-wrapper\">\n<p><button class=\"mypop-button button wide\" data-state=\"follow\" data-type=\"tag\" data-uuid=\"9e7867c9-3f67-4fc9-8807-5bbccb4449df\" data-name=\"Marvelu0027s Blade\" data-follow-text=\"Follow Marvelu0026#39;s Blade\" data-unfollow-text=\"Following Marvelu0026#39;s Blade\" data-aria-follow-text=\"Follow Marvelu0027s Blade\" data-aria-unfollow-text=\"Following Marvelu0027s Blade\" data-popup=\"true\" data-force-login=\"true\" aria-label=\"Follow Marvel&apos;s Blade\" title=\"Follow Marvel&apos;s Blade\"><br \/>\n  Follow Marvel&#8217;s Blade<br \/>\n<\/button>          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Arkane Studios, the developer behind the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/dishonored\">Dishonored<\/a> series and the upcoming Blade, is among the studios Microsoft is currently considering closing down. That&#8217;s according to a new report from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/report\/959467\/microsoft-xbox-cancel-blade-game-arkane-studios-closure\">The Verge<\/a>, citing sources familiar with the plan.<\/p>\n<p>If true, Arkane would be the fifth Microsoft-owned studio to be in a similar position. It&#8217;s been previously reported that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/xbox-layoffs-compulsion-games-south-of-midnight\">Compulsion Games<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/compulsion-double-fine-ninja-theory-xbox-studio-closures-report\">Ninja Theory<\/a>, Double Fine, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/undead-labs-xbox-potential-closure-state-of-decay-3\">Undead Labs<\/a> are all in talks with the company to determine their fate. As a result, Arkane&#8217;s upcoming Blade action game may be cancelled.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"video_wrapper youtube\">\n<a aria-label=\"Marvel\u2019s Blade | Announcement Trailer | The Game Awards 2023\" class=\"video-facade full-size\" data-platform=\"youtube\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/basLDO2bj2k?autoplay=1\" title=\"Click to play video from YouTube\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cover image for YouTube video\" class=\"video-facade__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/basLDO2bj2k\/hqdefault.jpg\"><span class=\"video-facade__title\">Marvel\u2019s Blade | Announcement Trailer | The Game Awards 2023<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"button video\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=basLDO2bj2k\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/figure>\n<p>The report also says that layoffs are set to begin 6th July, following the close of Microsoft&#8217;s fiscal quarter. While at least those five studios are involved, cost cuts and redundancies are being made elsewhere across the division. For instnace, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/007-first-light-io-interactive-hitman-layoffs-project-fantasy\">Microsoft just pulled funding for Project Fantasy, which was in development at Hitman and 007 studio IO Interactive<\/a>. Some of the affected studios could potentially merge with others, sold, spun-off to go independent, or be shuttered.<\/p>\n<p>As for Marvel&#8217;s Blade, the game was reportedly originally set for release in late 2026, but was pushed back internally to late 2027. Sources told the outlet that it&#8217;s also over budget. Blade <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/arkane-lyons-blade-game-might-be-dead-following-xbox-games-showcase-no-show\">was briefly rumoured in early June to have been cancelled<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The scale of the layoffs appears to be larger than anything we might have seen before at Xbox, with some suggesting that at least 1,000 jobs will be lost as a result.<\/p>\n<p>The reportedly wide-ranging layoffs and cuts are all part of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/xbox-layoffs-business-reset\">new CEO Ash Sharma&#8217;s &#8220;reset&#8221; plan<\/a>, which is set to affect the entire Xbox division as she attempts to turn it into a healthy business.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"preferred-source\" data-component=\"preferred-source\">\nLove Eurogamer.net? Make us a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\">Preferred Source on Google<\/a> and catch more of our coverage in your feeds.  <\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Arkane Studios, the developer behind the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/dishonored\">Dishonored<\/a> series and the upcoming Blade, is among the studios Microsoft is currently considering closing down. That&#8217;s according to a new report from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/report\/959467\/microsoft-xbox-cancel-blade-game-arkane-studios-closure\">The Verge<\/a>, citing sources familiar with the plan.<\/p>\n<p>If true, Arkane would be the fifth Microsoft-owned studio to be in a similar position. It&#8217;s been previously reported that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/xbox-layoffs-compulsion-games-south-of-midnight\">Compulsion Games<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/compulsion-double-fine-ninja-theory-xbox-studio-closures-report\">Ninja Theory<\/a>, Double Fine, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/undead-labs-xbox-potential-closure-state-of-decay-3\">Undead Labs<\/a> are all in talks with the company to determine their fate. As a result, Arkane&#8217;s upcoming Blade action game may be cancelled.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"video_wrapper youtube\">\n<a aria-label=\"Marvel\u2019s Blade | Announcement Trailer | The Game Awards 2023\" class=\"video-facade full-size\" data-platform=\"youtube\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/basLDO2bj2k?autoplay=1\" title=\"Click to play video from YouTube\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cover image for YouTube video\" class=\"video-facade__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/basLDO2bj2k\/hqdefault.jpg\"><span class=\"video-facade__title\">Marvel\u2019s Blade | Announcement Trailer | The Game Awards 2023<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"button video\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=basLDO2bj2k\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/figure>\n<p>The report also says that layoffs are set to begin 6th July, following the close of Microsoft&#8217;s fiscal quarter. While at least those five studios are involved, cost cuts and redundancies are being made elsewhere across the division. For instnace, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/007-first-light-io-interactive-hitman-layoffs-project-fantasy\">Microsoft just pulled funding for Project Fantasy, which was in development at Hitman and 007 studio IO Interactive<\/a>. Some of the affected studios could potentially merge with others, sold, spun-off to go independent, or be shuttered.<\/p>\n<p>As for Marvel&#8217;s Blade, the game was reportedly originally set for release in late 2026, but was pushed back internally to late 2027. Sources told the outlet that it&#8217;s also over budget. Blade <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/arkane-lyons-blade-game-might-be-dead-following-xbox-games-showcase-no-show\">was briefly rumoured in early June to have been cancelled<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The scale of the layoffs appears to be larger than anything we might have seen before at Xbox, with some suggesting that at least 1,000 jobs will be lost as a result.<\/p>\n<p>The reportedly wide-ranging layoffs and cuts are all part of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/xbox-layoffs-business-reset\">new CEO Ash Sharma&#8217;s &#8220;reset&#8221; plan<\/a>, which is set to affect the entire Xbox division as she attempts to turn it into a healthy business.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home News Marvel&#8217;s Blade Dishonored developer Arkane is reportedly one of five studios Microsoft is targeting to close down as part of its big &#8216;reset&#8217; That don&#8217;t Empress me much. Image credit: Arkane Lyon \/ Eurogamer News by Sherif Saed Senior Contributor Published on July 1, 2026 19 comments Follow Marvel&#8217;s Blade Arkane Studios, the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,253],"class_list":["post-2021022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-eurogamer-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2021022","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2021022"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2021022\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2021022"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2021022"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2021022"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}