Just when gamers started to think Xbox was getting back on track after an energizing presentation at this year’s Summer Games Fest, the game makers under Microsoft’s banner are stepping on one rake after another. Whether it’s impending price increases for its home consoles, changes to its Game Pass program, or rumors that Xbox is preparing for the “largest layoffs in gaming history,” it appears no one is safe from the console maker’s wrath. In a new report from The Verge, sources say Microsoft’s upcoming layoffs could lead to studio closures or spinoffs, potential studio mergers, and canceled games. Rumor has it that Microsoft could close as many as five studios, with Arkane Studios, the developers of Marvel‘s Blade, among them.
Arkane Studios’ Blade could get staked
The Verge says Arkane, the studio best known for the Dishonored game series, could shutter as part of cost cuts and job losses. Marvel’s Blade was supposed to ship later this year, but The Verge reports the game has slipped into 2027 and could be over budget. Game delays aren’t always a terrible thing. The extra time allows the developers to polish the experience, leading to a much higher success rate for the game. However, if a project starts going over its budget, that’s when investors start to sweat.
Xbox on the warpath
While there’s no official word on Blade‘s cancellation or the fate of Arkane Studios, Bloomberg reported earlier this month that Microsoft is trying to spin off Compulsion Games (the makers of South of Midnight, a game I loved), Double Fine (the beloved makers of Psychonauts and much more), and Ninja Theory (the studio behind the Senua series). Elsewhere, GamesBeat reported that Microsoft is actively looking for a buyer for Undead Labs, the studio behind the zombie survival series State of Decay.
Marvel’s Blade cannot catch a break, whether it’s a new movie or video game adaptation. It would be terrible if Arkane’s Blade project gets canceled, leading to a rash of job losses. The video game industry is already in a panic over so many ongoing uphill battles within the industry, and closing Arkane would put more people out of work and deny gamers the chance to play the Daywalker’s new game. Some mothef**kers are always trying to skate uphill.
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