The French union STJV accused Microsoft of deliberately causing delays and increasing costs in the development of Marvel's Blade after imposing a 19-month hiring freeze at Arkane Lyon, a measure the tech giant is now using as an economic pretext to justify closing or selling the studio.
Through an official statement published by the Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo (STJV), the union warned about the uncertain situation facing 217 workers at the French studio. According to the organization, the production of the vampire game is progressing well and maintains the quality standards players expect from the developer, making the economic reasons cited by Microsoft an artificial issue.
The strategy denounced by the union
The statement explains that freezing hiring for over a year and a half caused direct friction in the project's schedule. Subsequently, Microsoft allegedly used those exact delays and accumulated extra costs as grounds to label the studio an unprofitable cost center.
The STJV claims this decision stems solely from a drive for short-term profit optimization. The union highlighted Arkane's 25-year history in the gaming industry and its titles that have sold tens of millions of units. However, they note that past revenue does not reflect fairly in internal results due to how cash pooling mechanisms operate within the corporate group.
Demands to protect the workforce
Under French law, Arkane has the opportunity to seek a buyer to ensure the studio's survival. The union demands that worker representatives have a say in selecting any potential buyer, alongside establishing a protection fund should a new owner initiate layoffs within 24 months.
If no buyer is found and Microsoft proceeds with the complete shutdown of the Lyon facility, the STJV demands compensation matching Microsoft's financial stature. Their demands include a redundancy payment of 200,000 euros per worker, two years of funded redeployment support, dedicated funds for retraining or studio creation, and breach-of-contract compensation for freelancers and contractors.