Insider Gaming’s Mike Straw recently claimed that two Xbox studios are reportedly at risk of closure, with one of them supposedly being a studio that would “come as a shock to everyone.” 😬 If we’re speculating about which studio could be the “shock” closure, these are the two names that come to mind: Arkane Lyon The studio behind Dishonored 2, Death of the Outsider, and Deathloop, currently developing Marvel’s Blade. Most people would consider them safe, which is exactly why their closure would be so surprising. We know very little about Blade’s development, and if the project is facing major delays, budget concerns, or other challenges, Xbox could be forced to make a difficult decision. Marvel projects aren’t cheap, and expectations are undoubtedly high. id Software The legendary studio behind DOOM, Quake, and RAGE. This would arguably be the biggest shock of all. They’re one of the most iconic FPS developers in gaming history and a cornerstone of Xbox’s shooter portfolio. Beyond the upcoming DOOM DLC on July 7, we have very little visibility into the studio’s long-term plans. The other question is whether franchises like DOOM and Quake still have enough room to grow in today’s market. Both series remain highly respected, but they’re built around a style of FPS design that differs from many of the industry’s biggest modern shooters. The key question is whether Xbox sees enough long-term growth potential in these franchises to justify continued investment. Only Microsoft knows whether they’re meeting its commercial expectations. It’s also worth noting that id Software currently doesn’t appear to have any open positions, and the studio doesn’t seem to be listed on ZeniMax’s careers page either. That could mean absolutely nothing, but it’s another detail worth considering. I hate this industry some days. It feels like every year we lose talented teams and great studios. 💔 Who do you think the “shock” studio could be?