What Bloomberg reported
Microsoft has reportedly had multiple offers to buy Arkane Studios, the French developer behind the Dishonored series and an upcoming Blade title. Ubisoft made a bid, as did at least two other gaming companies, according to Bloomberg's Tuesday report citing people familiar with the matter. Xbox has also considered selling the studio to its own management.
The terms of the offers weren't known, and Xbox hadn't reached an agreement with any potential acquirer. An Xbox spokesperson said the company is exploring options ahead of a December deadline and declined further comment. Ubisoft had no immediate comment.
Insider Gaming says it independently confirmed the Ubisoft offer. It adds that one person with knowledge said Ubisoft had been interested "for some time", and that an offer was floated before Arkane's status became public over the summer.
The "year or two" claim
Bloomberg's wording, relayed by This Week in Video Games, is that a deal would "likely" let Arkane finish Marvel's Blade, which is "expected to be released within the next year or two." That is a reported expectation. It isn't an announced release window from Arkane, Bethesda, Xbox or Marvel.
Some outlets have turned that phrase into specific years. Beebom, for example, suggests 2027 or 2028. Bloomberg's phrasing doesn't name a calendar year, so those years are interpretation.
Conflicting accounts of how far along the game is
PC Gamer's October 23 report, citing sources close to the studio, described a more cautious picture than the Bloomberg timeline suggests. In the same piece, a Microsoft representative referred to "the development work still ahead" on Blade. That is a statement about work remaining, not a launch forecast.
Being near the end of a production phase doesn't mean a game is near release. The "one to two years" figure is the newest estimate, but it isn't independently verified. Ownership, funding and any new publisher's priorities could all move the date.
How Arkane got here
- The July cuts. Arkane was caught up in the Xbox layoffs announced in July. PC Gamer reports those layoffs affect roughly 3,200 people and involve four other studios. Of those, Double Fine, Compulsion Games and Undead Labs went independent, while Ninja Theory appears to be closing.
- Why France matters. Arkane Lyon is in France, so Xbox couldn't close it outright. It began a legally required consultation process, and PC Gamer cites Le Monde's reference to France's Florange Law, which requires a buyer search for companies with more than 1,000 employees.
- The deadline. The consultation deadline was reported as November 13, and Microsoft extended it by a month. Beebom reports a December 13 deadline, but Xbox itself only said "December". Treat the exact day as unconfirmed.
- Closure papers. Documents from the process referenced a plan for the complete cessation of activity. Microsoft told PC Gamer they are part of the required process and aren't a final decision.
What is officially known about Blade
Marvel's 2023 announcement says Arkane Lyon is making a mature, single-player, third-person game based on Blade. The game is set in a quarantined section of Paris during a vampire emergency. The announcement gave no release date. Engadget notes that all we've really seen is the cinematic trailer that announced it in 2023.
The game comes from Arkane Lyon, not Arkane Austin. Austin's 2024 closure is separate background.
What this means for readers
- Ownership isn't settled. Ubisoft's interest isn't a purchase. Xbox has also weighed a management buyout, as it did with other divested studios.
- Platforms are an open question. Wikipedia notes that Disney said whether Blade would be exclusive to Windows and Xbox consoles was Bethesda's decision. A new owner could change that, but no report says it would.
- Ubisoft carries its own risk. Engadget points out that Ubisoft wouldn't necessarily be the most stable home, since it announced layoffs in January, March, June and October this year.
Bottom line
The credible reporting supports three points. Several parties want Arkane, nothing is signed, and a December decision point is approaching. Bloomberg's "year or two" estimate is the best public signal yet, but earlier reporting points to a longer road. For Xbox and Windows gamers, the practical takeaway is to watch for a buyer announcement before expecting a date.