Le Syndicat des Travailleuses du Jeu Vidéo (STJV), the union representing Arkane, says Microsoft’s internal economic policies are why the studio is currently looking for a buyer or may close entirely.
They state that the studio was subject to a “freezing hiring for 19 months”, which meant the development of Blade took longer and cost more. They also mention that Arkane’s cash pool was also low as “cash is systematically funneled to the group through a cash pooling mechanic”.
“Arkane is profitable. Just not profitable enough for Microsoft,” they claim.
Here is the full text of the section of their statement:
Microsoft chose to justify the closure on economic reasons. But Microsoft is actually why those economic reasons even exist. Because after freezing hiring for 19 months, which artificially caused delay and additional cost, Microsoft now use those same delay and additional cost as a reason to close down the studio. And that is even before talking about financial ressources : how not to be a “cost centre” when our previous games, which combined have sold tenth of millions, aren’t anywhere to be found in the company results? Or how Arkane cash pool is always low as any remaining cash is systematically funneled to the group through a cash pooling mecanic. Even this closure itself is done against any financial logic, as closing Arkane today would probably be more expensive than finishing the game.
The truth is that Microsoft based its decision only on stone cold and inhuman logic, in which our lives, projects and dreams are voided, so we can better serve Microsoft’s short term financial goals. In the wake of thousands of yearly firings, studio closure to which you can now add the tenth of thousands of voluntary buyout offered by the company, the decision to close Arkane is solely the brutal application of a never-ending search for maximum profit optimization. Arkane is profitable. Just not profitable enough for Microsoft.
So indeed, Microsoft is responsible for the situation Arkane is in today. Microsoft is responsible for the situation the workers are in today. So Microsoft has to take full responsibility here and act accordingly.
Source: STJV
