Xbox Reportedly Considering Cancelling Marvel's Blade
Xbox is reportedly considering cancelling Marvel's Blade and closing its developer, Arkane Studios, as part of a massive wave of upcoming studio layoffs. According to The Verge, Microsoft is thinking about closing at least five studios, and Arkane is among those on the chopping block. The action-adventure title, set in Paris during a vampiric invasion, has been in development since 2022 and was announced with a cinematic trailer at The Game Awards 2023.
Layoffs Expected Next Week
Huge layoffs at Xbox are expected to be announced next week, following an open letter from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and Chief Content Officer Matt Booty published on the Xbox website. In a June blog post on Xbox Wire titled 'Next 100 Days: Xbox Reset', the pair warned of 'surprising and frustrating' realities, revealing a $500m dip in annual revenue over the past five years and promising a 'reset for a stronger Xbox'. This would mark what some are calling the largest single layoff event in gaming history.
Development Delays and Uncertain Future
Marvel's Blade was planned to release at the end of this year, but the launch date has now been pushed back to 2027—if it releases at all. Despite the uncertainty, Bethesda's head honcho, Todd Howard, offered an update as recently as May. During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said that 'the folks at Arkane are doing a really, really great job' while refusing to commit to when a new look at the game would be coming.
Impact on Arkane Studios
Arkane Studios, best known for the Dishonored series, faces an uncertain future. Closing the studio would be an especially bizarre move given that Todd Howard provided a positive update on the game just weeks ago. The potential cancellation of Marvel's Blade and closure of Arkane would represent a significant shift in Xbox's strategy, as the company seeks to address declining revenue and restructure its operations.
