Harvey Smith described the closure of Arkane Austin as “a shock” in a recent interview with Simon Parkin. The co-creative director of Arkane Austin stated that the studio had produced strong work, leaving him disappointed about its abrupt shutdown.
The veteran developer, known for his leadership on Deus Ex and the Dishonored series, pointed to multiple factors that made creative outcomes unpredictable. He cited the COVID-era pandemic’s impact on development and the broader industry push toward games-as-a-service models.
Microsoft shut down Arkane Austin in May 2024 as part of wider Xbox studio cuts. The closure ended the Texas-based studio that created Prey in 2017 and Redfall in 2023.
Smith served as creative director on Redfall. His comments acknowledge both the quality of past Arkane work and the unpredictable nature of game development under shifting market conditions.
The last remaining studio of Arkane is Arkane Lyon, the French branch that developed Dishonored 2 and Deathloop, which continues to operate under Microsoft. The studio is currently working on Marvel’s Blade, announced in 2023.
