Deathloop
GameBy Arkane Studios · Released Sep 14, 2021
Documents about Deathloop
Xbox Plans 3,200 Job Cuts and Studio Closures
Xbox is undergoing a comprehensive corporate restructuring characterized by the elimination of 3,200 positions and the divestment of five prominent development studios, including Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, Undead Labs, and Arkane Lyon.
- Xbox plans to cut 3,200 jobs across its business and divest five studios as part of a major restructure. This includes Double Fine Productions, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, Undead Labs, and Arkane Lyon.
- Double Fine Productions and Compulsion Games will return to independence, retaining their IP and back catalogs, with runway funding from Microsoft. Ninja Theory and Undead Labs have found new, unnamed owners who will acquire their IP and back catalogs, though deals are not yet closed.
- Xbox's restructuring is driven by declining revenue, profits, and player numbers over the past five years, despite $20 billion in game development investment. Its accountability margin is only 3%, and it lost 64 cents for every dollar invested in independent studios.
Xbox Game Sales on PlayStation
This analysis examines the commercial performance of first-party Xbox titles on the PlayStation platform, providing a data-driven perspective on Microsoft’s evolving approach to exclusivity.
- Thirteen first-party Xbox titles have surpassed 100,000 units on PlayStation, generating a combined $667 million in gross revenue.
- Forza Horizon 5 is the top-performing title on PlayStation, accounting for $323 million in revenue from 5.8 million units sold.
- Oblivion Remastered has moved 1.2 million units on PlayStation 5, with approximately 75% of its buyers having previously played the Skyrim version on Sony hardware.
“To Do Nothing Is to Support Microsoft's Actions”
This analysis examines the internal tensions at Microsoft-owned Arkane Studios in France, where a group of employees associated with the French union Le Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo (STJV) issued an open letter criticizing the parent company’s alleged ties to the Israeli military.
- A group of employees at Microsoft-owned Arkane Lyon, represented by the STJV union, published an open letter protesting Microsoft’s reported provision of AI and Azure cloud technology to the Israeli military during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
- The unionized workers argue that Microsoft’s gaming division, which includes Xbox, Activision, and Blizzard, is financially complicit in the company's broader corporate activities, rejecting the notion that their studio is siloed from these operations.
- Arkane leadership has remained neutral regarding the letter, advising staff to maintain peaceful exchanges, while the authors report receiving both internal support and anxiety from colleagues concerned about potential retaliation following recent Microsoft-wide layoffs.
Microsoft Game Workers Call Out Company Over Israeli Military Ties
Employees at Arkane Lyon, a studio owned by Microsoft, have issued an open letter demanding that the corporation terminate all current and future contracts with the Israeli military.
- Workers at Microsoft-owned studio Arkane Lyon, represented by the French union STJV, have issued an open letter demanding the company terminate all contracts with the Israeli military.
- This marks the first instance of employees within Microsoft’s gaming division formally calling for action against the company over its alleged ties to the Israeli military.
- The workers cited concerns that the company's involvement could lead to a public boycott of Xbox products, potentially threatening the long-term viability of their jobs.
Plus: Why Such Big Steam Hype Winners This Week?
This analysis evaluates the performance of high-profile video game launches on Steam, Xbox, Switch, and the Epic Games Store during a high-volume release window in mid-September 2021.
- High-profile releases in mid-September 2021 saw varied performance, with Deathloop hitting 20,000 peak concurrent users (CCU) while Eastward emerged as a breakout hit with 13,800 peak CCU.
- The market shows a strong appetite for simulation games, evidenced by Gas Station Simulator reaching 7,500 CCU and the successful launch of Timberborn.
- Niche titles faced significant challenges during this competitive release window, with games like SkateBIRD and Gamedec struggling to exceed 400 CCU.
Bethesda x Xbox: The Ecosystem Ramifications
The acquisition of ZeniMax Media and its subsidiary, Bethesda Softworks, by Microsoft for $7.5 billion represents a strategic escalation in the ongoing competition for dominance in game subscription services.
- Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5 billion to secure 2,300 developers and a massive IP portfolio for the Xbox ecosystem.
- The acquisition is a strategic move to transition the industry from unit-based sales to a subscription-driven model centered on Xbox Game Pass.
- Microsoft is leveraging its significant cash reserves to prioritize long-term user retention and subscription growth over immediate profit margins.
Companies behind it
As the documents state it.