Ubisoft Among Bidders for Arkane Lyon

Ubisoft is among at least three parties that have submitted offers to acquire Arkane Lyon from Xbox, as Microsoft weighs the studio’s future ahead of a December deadline. No deal has been announced, and Xbox is also considering a possible sale to Arkane Lyon’s management, according to reporting based on people familiar with the negotiations. An Xbox spokesperson said the company was exploring options ahead of the deadline and declined to provide further details. The other bidders have not been identified. The terms of the offers are also unknown, and the reports do not establish that Xbox has accepted any proposal. The negotiations follow Microsoft’s plans to divest Arkane Lyon as part of changes to its Xbox studio portfolio. Reports describe a process to find a potential buyer, with one account saying a deadline for finding a new owner was extended and another citing a mid-November deadline before possible closure. The spokesperson’s reference to a December deadline does not clarify how those dates relate. Arkane Lyon, based in France, is known for Dishonored and Deathloop and is developing Marvel’s Blade. Bloomberg reporting cited in the accounts says Xbox has considered...