While Arkane is certainly not dead,its division in Austin, Texas had been dissolvedearlier this year. The shutdown came from higher-ups atMicrosoft, and in an interview withPCGamer,the studio’s founder and former president called the closure a “dumb move”.
Some may know Arkane Austin as the group behind the 2017 release ofPrey, a game that maintained relative obscurity despite praise from players and critics alike.
Not Sure About System Shock Remake? Play Prey Instead
Arkane’s 2017 sci-fi space station crawl feels like a polished, modernised version of the original System Shock.
Others may know them as the developers ofRedfall, another relatively obscure game—but this time, the obscurity comes without caveat. Fewenjoyed it.
In the aftermath of these titles, Microsoft saw fit to shut things down. Arcane Austinand several other studiosclosed their doors due to commands from above.
I think if you look a little bit, it’s obvious that Arkane Austin was a very special group of people that have made some cool things and that could pull it off again.
Raphael Colantonio is the founder of Arkane Studios and served as its president for nearly two decades. In the interview, he expressed his fondness for the Austin division and the people who worked there.
Those people together can really make magic. It’s not like, ‘Doesn’t matter, we’ll just rehire.’ No, try it. That’s what big groups do all the time. They attempt to just hire massively and overpay people to create those magic groups. It doesn’t work like this.
Colantonio could only speculate as to why Arkane Austin was shut down but does have some sympathy for the position Microsoft was put in.
I think it was a decision that just came down to, ‘We need to cut something.’ Was it to please the investors, the stock market? They’re playing a different game.
But regardless of the reason, Colantonio makes his stance on the issue clear. He flatly disagrees with the decision, with PCGamer quoting him as calling it a “dumb move”.
The only thing that I stand by is saying that the specific choice of killing Arkane Austin, that was not a good decision.
Loved by Fans, Prey to Microsoft
Microsoft hasrecently been criticized for closing various smaller studios it had taken under its wing. SinceTango Gameworks, the developers behindHi-Fi Rush,wasamong them, it’s hard to say that “poor quality releases” are a primary cause.
A Salute to Hi-Fi Rush, Since Microsoft Won’t Give It One
A tribute to Tango’s most creative title.
Judging by Hi-Fi Rush’s treatment,even if Redfall was good, Microsoft may have closed things down anyway.
Arkane Lyon remains in the industry, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the shutdown in Austin put the remaining staff in a state of unease.
Bad news would be easier to swallow if an apparent reason existed. But the closest we can get is “because money”—something equally nebulous and omnipresent. It seems like the perfect ingredients for an unsettling climate.
