As Xbox tries to shed studios, there may a light at the end of the tunnel in store for Arkane Lyon. According to a new report from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, multiple companies, including French publisher Ubisoft, have submitted offers to acquire the acclaimed studio behind Dishonored, Deathloop, and the upcoming (at least we hope so) Marvel’s Blade.

Sources familiar with the negotiations revealed that at least two other gaming entities have made bids, while Microsoft has also considered management buyout options to spin the Lyon-based team out as an independent entity. Not unlike what has become of Undead Labs. While terms have not been finalized, a successful acquisition would reportedly allow Arkane Lyon to finish development on Marvel’s Blade, which was first unveiled at The Game Awards in 2023.

A critical deadline in Xbox's sweeping "reset" of studios under it's wing

The bidding comes after months of intense uncertainty for Arkane Lyon. Following the arrival of CEO Asha Sharma earlier this year, Xbox embarked on a sweeping "reset" across its studio portfolio aimed at reining in operational costs.

In July, Microsoft outlined plans to divest five internal studios. While teams like Double Fine and Compulsion Games transitioned toward independence and others secured new homes, Arkane Lyon was placed in an official consultation period under French labor laws to determine its fate.

Reports last month revealed that Arkane Lyon faced a strict mid-November deadline to secure a buyer or face complete closure, putting roughly 217 jobs and the future of Marvel’s Blade at risk.

An Xbox spokesperson confirmed the company is actively exploring options ahead of a December deadline, though Microsoft declined to elaborate on specific negotiations.

Ubisoft actually makes sense

Ubisoft's bid has some geographic logic at least, they are headquartered in France and already have an extensive local infrastructure which would make it easy for them to absorb Arkane Lyon.

Interestingly, it won't be the first major asset Ubisoft has taken off Microsoft's hands. Back in 2023, Microsoft famously offloaded the cloud streaming rights for all current and future Activision Blizzard titles to Ubisoft for 15 years to appease regulators in the UK and close its merger. Securing Arkane Lyon would be the latest instance of Ubisoft swooping in to swipe up pieces of Microsoft's portfolio, if it happens!

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Grand Theft Auto 6 arrives on November 19, but you're going to need to clear out your console drive for that 212GB file size. But let's be honest, you won't be playing anything else.

Rockstar has officially shared when you can start digital pre-loads (via Grand Theft Auto 6's website), because who wants to be waiting on 212GB on launch day to play? The clock officially starts ticking on Tuesday November 10 so you'll have 9 whole days in advance to start your engines. That said, the exact time depends on your chosen platform.

When can I pre-load GTA 6?

Xbox Series X|S digital preloading kicks off globally at 12:00 a.m. GMT on November 10. For US players thats:

• Eastern (EST): 7:00 p.m. (Nov 9)
• Central (CST): 6:00 p.m. (Nov 9)
• Pacific (PST): 4:00 p.m. (Nov 9)

European players will get access from 1 a.m. CET on November 10.

PlayStation 5 players will get access to the game at 12 a.m local time wherever you are.

For those who opted for physical retail editions, code-in-a-box copies are slated to begin arriving at retailers starting November 12.

In addition to the above, when the game launches on November 19, it will go live in your area at 12 a.m. local time, regardless of platform. So yes, some people will be able to play before others.

Free printable map and physical poster

Rockstar also revealed that on launch day (November 19), a printable version of the official GTA 6 cover art and the full map of Leonida will be available as a free digital download via the official site.

If you prefer physical collectibles for your wall, a double-sided printed version of the map and poster will be sold through the Rockstar Store shortly after launch for $0.99, or included as a free gift with any purchase.

If you haven't secured your copy yet or need to grab discounted currency to shave a few dollars off the purchase price, check out our GTA 6 pre-order guide for retailer links and gift card strategies.

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