Ubisoft is reportedly among several companies interested in acquiring Arkane, the studio behind Dishonored, according to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the negotiations. At least two other unnamed gaming companies have also made offers, the report says.
Xbox has separately considered selling the studio to its own management, which would make Arkane independent. It is unclear whether that option remains under consideration.
Arkane was among the studios affected by Xbox’s July restructuring, which included thousands of job cuts and left four studios facing closure. The report says Arkane avoided being shut down after France’s Florange Law required Xbox to seek a buyer before closing the studio.
Microsoft had set November 13 as the deadline for finding a buyer, after which Arkane would be shuttered. A few weeks before that date, the company extended the search by a month to explore options, including finding a partner to support the studio’s ongoing development work. Arkane is currently developing Marvel’s Blade.
Ubisoft’s reported interest comes as the company faces its own financial challenges, layoffs and studio closures. Neither Xbox nor Ubisoft had commented on the report in the original article.
Sources: PC Gamer.