Ubisoft wants Arkane, and it’s not alone in the queue

Arkane might dodge the axe after all, though it could end up with a French accent.

Ubisoft is reportedly one of several companies that have put in offers for the studio, as a new report claims. Sources say at least two other gaming companies are also circling, though nobody has put names to them yet. I’m curious who they are, but that’s all we’ve got for now.

Arkane was reportedly given a matter of weeks to find a buyer or face closure, which would put hundreds of jobs and Marvel’s Blade on the chopping block. Xbox said earlier this year that it wanted to divest the studio as part of CEO Asha Sharma’s “reset”, aimed at making the business profitable. Thousands of layoffs have followed across Microsoft, gaming teams included.

Ubisoft makes sense for Arkane

Ubisoft does make sense on paper. Arkane’s Lyon base is in the publisher’s home country, so it’s a tidy fit geographically at least. Moving from one huge publisher to another won’t thrill everyone, but if the studio survives and people keep their jobs, I’d call that a win.

There’s still pressure on the studio. Redfall flopped hard in 2023 with players, critics and sales figures alike, and Blade hasn’t been seen since its debut trailer almost three years ago. Whoever buys it is getting a team that badly needs a hit.