Overview
- Bloomberg reported Tuesday that Ubisoft has submitted a bid for Arkane Lyon and that at least two other unnamed gaming companies have also offered to buy the studio.
- Microsoft has not accepted any offer and told reporters it is exploring options after extending the buyer search deadline to December 13, 2026 under French consultation rules.
- Xbox has also weighed a management buyout that would spin Arkane out as an independent studio, a path other former Xbox teams have taken.
- Sources say a successful sale or buyout would likely let Arkane finish work on Marvel’s Blade, which Bloomberg and other outlets report could appear within a year or two if development continues under a new owner.
- The bids come as part of CEO Asha Sharma’s wider Xbox ‘reset’ that has produced thousands of layoffs and studio restructurings, and failure to reach a deal by the French legal deadline could mean closure and significant job losses for Arkane staff.