While Arkane is certainly not dead, its division in Austin, Texas had been dissolved earlier this year. The shutdown came from higher-ups at Microsoft, and in an interview with PCGamer, 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 of Prey, a game that maintained relative obscurity despite praise from players and critics alike.
Others may know them as the developers of Redfall, another relatively obscure game—but this time, the obscurity comes without caveat. Few enjoyed it.
In the aftermath of these titles, Microsoft saw fit to shut things down. Arcane Austinand several other studios closed their doors due to commands from above.
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.
Colantonio could only speculate as to why Arkane Austin was shut down but does have some sympathy for the position Microsoft was put in.
But regardless of the reason, Colantonio makes his stance on the issue clear. He flatly disagrees with the decision, with PCGamer quoting him...
