Bloomberg: Ubisoft Among Bidders for Arkane as Microsoft Weighs Sale
No deal is close yet, and one option under consideration is a management buyout that would let the Lyon studio go independent, per Bloomberg.
Ubisoft is among multiple bidders for Arkane, the Lyon-based studio that Microsoft is looking to sell, according to Bloomberg. No deal is close yet, the outlet reported on November 4, 2026.
One option under consideration is selling the studio to its own management so it can go independent, according to the report. A sale would seemingly allow Arkane to finish work on Marvel's Blade.
Bloomberg's report follows Xbox's announcement this past summer of plans for a structural reset. Since then, Xbox has divested from Double Fine and Undead Labs, while Ninja Theory reportedly had layoffs. Around 3000 jobs have been eliminated in the wake of the reset initiative.
Arkane was founded in 1999 and was acquired by Zenimax in 2010. Marvel's Blade was announced in 2023 and is expected to be released in the next 1-2 years. Arkane Austin, a US branch of the same brand, was founded in 2006 and closed in 2024 after the release of Redfall. Arkane and Ubisoft previously worked together on 2006's Dark Messiah of Might & Magic.
Quick answers
Is Microsoft selling Arkane?
Bloomberg reports that Microsoft is looking to sell the Lyon studio, with multiple bidders involved and no deal close yet.
Is Ubisoft buying Arkane?
Ubisoft is one of multiple bidders for Arkane, according to Bloomberg, but no deal is close.
What would a sale mean for Marvel's Blade?
According to the report, a sale would seemingly allow Arkane to finish work on Marvel's Blade, which was announced in 2023.