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Ubisoft reportedly wants to buy Arkane from Xbox
Ubisoft is reportedly among several companies seeking to buy Arkane, the studio behind Dishonored, from Xbox. A sale could spare the studio from closure and keep its team working on Marvel’s Blade, though no deal has been confirmed.
Bloomberg reports that at least two other unnamed gaming companies have also made offers, while Xbox has considered selling Arkane to its own management. The search for a buyer followed layoffs and studio closures in July; a French law reportedly required Xbox to seek a buyer before shutting Arkane. Microsoft extended the search deadline by a month to explore options for supporting the studio, which is developing Marvel’s Blade. Ubisoft is also facing financial pressure, layoffs and closures.
In short
- Ubisoft is reportedly seeking to acquire Arkane from Xbox.
- At least two other gaming companies have made offers.
- A sale could help Arkane continue work on Marvel’s Blade.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Selling Arkane could preserve a skilled team, protect jobs and let development of Marvel’s Blade continue, while giving the studio a chance to build on its established games. A buyer with the resources and commitment to support the team may offer a more sustainable future than closure, and considering several offers could give Xbox options beyond an internal management buyout.
The case against
A sale would not by itself guarantee Arkane’s long-term security: Ubisoft is also under financial pressure and has made cuts, so a transfer could still bring restructuring or uncertainty for staff. Critics may also question whether keeping the studio open is viable if its future depends on a buyer’s willingness and capacity to fund it, particularly when no deal has been confirmed.
Explained simply
Arkane is a video game studio best known for Dishonored, an action series in which players use stealth and supernatural abilities. It is part of Xbox, Microsoft’s gaming business, and is developing a game based on Marvel’s Blade, a vampire hunter from the Marvel comics.
Ubisoft is another major video game company, known for games such as Assassin’s Creed. Reports say it is one of several firms interested in buying Arkane, while Xbox has also considered a sale to the studio’s own managers; no agreement has been confirmed.
The studio’s future matters to its staff and to the development of Blade. The reported search for a buyer followed layoffs and studio closures, and Ubisoft is also dealing with financial pressure, layoffs and closures.