Xbox froze hiring at Arkane Studios, then used the resultant Marvel’s Blade delay as a reason to shut down the studio, it is claimed.
According to a statement published by STJV, the union representing Arkane Studios employees, Xbox froze hiring at the studio for 19 months, artificially creating delays and additional costs in the production of Marvel’s Blade that were subsequently used as a reason to shut down the studio.
In its statement, STJV accused Microsoft of creating the economic circumstances it is now using against the studio. “After freezing hiring for 19 months, which artificially caused delay and additional cost, Microsoft now use those same delay and additional cost as a reason to close down the studio,” the union stated.
STJV also disputed Microsoft’s financial justification, arguing that Arkane’s previous games have collectively sold tens of millions of copies, yet their contributions are nowhere to be found in the company’s financial results. The union further claimed that the studio’s remaining cash is systematically transferred to the corporate group through a cash-pooling mechanism.
According to the post, development on Marvel’s Blade is progressing well and that its expected quality is consistent with Arkane’s previous work. It also argued that closing the studio now could actually cost Microsoft more than allowing development to continue and finishing the game.
The potential closure puts 217 employees at risk, alongside hundreds of contractors, freelancers and other workers supporting the studio. Microsoft has granted an additional month for the process following STJV’s prior warnings to the press. However, the union considers this an insufficient amount of time.
The union is now demanding greater employee involvement in selecting a potential buyer, a protection fund for workers, and better redundancy terms if the studio ultimately faces closure. Its demands include 200,000 Euros in redundancy compensation and 2 years of company-funded redeployment support.
