Xbox’s restructuring is here, and we’ve got all the details, which you can find here. I also recently covered reports that State of Decay 3 may no longer be destined for Game Pass, but today we’re talking about Marvel’s Blade, a project whose future is looking increasingly uncertain.
It wasn’t long ago that my colleague Jez Corden reported Arkane had new leadership under Jerk Gustafsson from MachineGames. While that change actually happened last year and was only made public recently, it initially seemed like a positive sign for the studio. Unfortunately, that optimism has faded.
Now, thanks to new reporting, we know Microsoft is in discussions with the French government "to try and figure out a path forward for the legendary Dishonored maker, with the goal of saving Arkane from closure," while also hoping to keep Blade in development.
Additional reporting from The Verge also claims that Blade is "running over budget." With discussions involving the French government potentially taking months, the future of both Arkane and Marvel's Blade remains very much uncertain.
It’s also revealed that Blade has been delayed, in addition to its budget issues, so it really isn’t looking good for the Marvel franchise.
Outside of State of Decay 3 from Undead Labs, which was my most anticipated game from the affected studios, which includes Compulsion and Double Fine, Blade was probably the project I was most curious about. I mean, it's Blade. Sony has Spider-Man, so Xbox having its own Marvel game always felt like a great fit.
This latest update is concerning, though. Blade has reportedly been in development for over five years, and if it's now running over budget, it's hard not to worry. Given the current state of the industry, it's becoming increasingly difficult to justify projects that spend years in development only to run into repeated delays and budget issues.
As difficult as all this news has been, I genuinely hope everyone affected across Xbox is able to land on their feet. I also hope Xbox can steady the ship and come out stronger on the other side. With that said, let me know your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below:
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