As of October 23, 2026, Arkane Lyon faced a reported closure plan that put about 217 jobs at risk. Le Monde reported that studio management told employees on July 16 that Microsoft planned to close Arkane Lyon. The October coverage described an ongoing consultation, not a completed shutdown.
What the October and November dates mark
The reported dates refer to separate steps in the process. Le Monde reported that negotiations over an employment-protection plan were due to continue through October 30. The reported November 13 date was the scheduled endpoint for consultation with France’s Social and Economic Committee (CSE), the employee-representation body involved in the process.
| Date or period | Process step |
| October 30, 2026 | Reported endpoint for negotiations over the employment-protection plan. |
| November 13, 2026 | Reported endpoint for the CSE consultation. |
| Late 2026 through the first quarter of 2027 | A translated account of Le Monde’s reporting described this as a possible period for implementing a complete cessation if the plan proceeded. |
The dates place any possible implementation after the consultation milestone. The later period was described as conditional, rather than as an outcome that had occurred.
Microsoft’s partner search and possible paths for Arkane
Microsoft told Le Monde it was exploring options for Arkane and seeking a partner to support a project’s next development phase and commercialization. On October 23, journalist Jason Schreier said multiple paths to save Arkane Lyon were being explored, while noting that negotiations could still lead to different outcomes.
What has been reported about Marvel’s Blade
Le Monde identified Marvel’s Blade as the project connected to Microsoft’s partner search and reported that the game was nearing the end of production.
