Arkane has a new head: former MachineGames director takes over the studio - insider

Amidst a major Xbox restructuring, Jerk Gustafsson, co-founder and director of MachineGames, has become the president of Arkane Studios, replacing Leonard Bendel.

Major changes continue at Xbox, which may come into full effect next Monday. Xbox management previously stated the need for a "reboot" of studios amidst market pressure and cost cutting.

Microsoft is considering various options – from layoffs and selling studios to merging them. Undead Labs, Double Fine, Compulsion Games, and other teams participated in the negotiations.

Against this backdrop, new data has emerged about Arkane Studios, which is working on Marvel's Blade.

As insider Timur222 noted, Arkane's leadership has changed: Leonard Bendel has left the post of president, and Jerk Gustafsson, co-founder and director of MachineGames, has become the new head. The change occurred on June 30, according to data from the French company registry Pappers.fr.

It is claimed that Blade's development is not stopping, but a serious restructuring is underway within the studio.

MachineGames receives Microsoft support after the success of Indiana Jones and interest in the Wolfenstein series. The company is also working on a Wolfenstein TV show in collaboration with the producers of the Fallout series for Amazon. Wolfenstein 3 is already in development with a focus on synchronizing the game and the show.

What exactly Gustafsson's appointment means for Arkane is not yet clear. Options for merging the studios and maintaining their separate status under unified leadership are not ruled out.