Arkane Studios founder Raphaël Colantonio has strongly criticized Microsoft's decision to shut down Arkane Austin, the studio behind games like Prey and Redfall. In a recent interview with PC Gamer, Colantonio, who left Arkane in 2017 to found WolfEye Studios, called the move "stupid" and "not a good decision."
Colantonio emphasized the unique talent at Arkane Austin, stating:
He further explained that recreating a team like Arkane Austin would be "impossible" or, at best, would "take forever." Colantonio highlighted the specific combination of talents, including Harvey Smith and Ricardo Bare, that made the studio special.
While Colantonio didn't claim to know the exact reasons behind Microsoft's decision, he speculated it might be related to pleasing investors or the stock market. The closure of Arkane Austin was part of a larger restructuring by Microsoft that also affected other studios like Tango Gameworks and Alpha Dog Games.
It's worth noting that Arkane Lyon, the original French studio, remains intact and is currently working on Marvel's Blade. The closure of Arkane Austin occurred in the context of Microsoft's announcement to cut 1,900 staff from its gaming workforce earlier this year.
Colantonio's comments reflect a broader concern in the gaming industry about the impact of large corporate decisions on creative teams and their potential to produce innovative games.
Microsoft closing Arkane Austin was a 'dumb move', says founder and former president
"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."
