The decision by Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) to shutter Arkane Austin, the studio behind critically acclaimed titles like *Redfall* and *Prey*, has sparked outrage within the gaming industry. Industry veteran and Arkane founder Raphaël Colantonio, now leading WolfEye Studios, has publicly condemned the move, describing it as “stupid” and a “not a good decision” in an interview with PC Gamer.
Colantonio, known for his insightful perspectives on game development, believes the closure of Arkane Austin was driven by a broader corporate reorganization within Microsoft, a move that saw the company reduce its gaming division workforce by 1,900 employees. This reorganization included the closure of other studios like Tango Gameworks and Alpha Dog Games.
In a memo announcing the cuts, Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty attributed the decision to “reprioritization of titles and resources.” However, Colantonio questions the necessity of the move, suggesting it may have been driven by a desire to appease investors and appease the stock market.
“I think if you look a little bit, 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,” Colantonio said. He argues that the closure of Arkane Austin was not a decision based on the studio’s performance, but rather a cost-cutting measure that disregarded the irreplaceable talent within the studio.
Colantonio points to key team members like Harvey Smith and Ricardo Bare, whose collaborative efforts were instrumental in the studio’s success. “When you have that magic of Harvey and Ricardo etc. that all come together, it’s a specific moment in time and space that just worked out this way, that took forever to reach,” he stated. “Those people together can really make magic.”
The veteran developer believes that the unique chemistry present at Arkane Austin is irreplaceable. He expresses skepticism about Microsoft’s ability to recreate the studio’s magic by simply hiring new talent. “It’s not like, ‘Doesn’t matter, we’ll just rehire.’ No, try it. That’s what big groups do all the time. They try to just hire massively and overpay people to create those magic groups. It doesn’t work like this. So to me, that was stupid. But what do I know?”
Colantonio’s blunt criticism highlights the deep-seated concerns within the gaming industry regarding the impact of corporate decisions on creative studios and the potential loss of unique talent. The closure of Arkane Austin serves as a stark reminder of the precarious nature of the game development landscape, where the pursuit of financial stability can sometimes overshadow the preservation of creative vision.
