Arkane Austin, the studio behind the popular Dishonored series and the 2017 FPS Prey, has been closed by Microsoft, leaving fans of the Prey franchise devastated.
A dedicated Prey fan account, which had been diligently counting down the days in anticipation of a sequel, expressed its grief on Twitter following the news of Arkane Austin’s closure. The account had maintained a streak of 2,556 daily tweets simply reading “no,” indicating the absence of a sequel announcement. However, with the studio’s closure confirmed, the account posted a poignant message: “It’s over.”
While fans had hoped for a sequel to the 2017 reboot of Prey, the closure of Arkane Austin has dashed those hopes. Despite the game’s enduring popularity among players and critics, its commercial performance fell short, likely contributing to Microsoft’s decision not to greenlight a sequel.
The closure of Arkane Austin adds to a series of studio shutdowns by Xbox, prompting speculation about Microsoft’s strategy and leaving developers and fans alike grappling with the sudden changes in the gaming landscape.
As fans mourn the loss of the studio behind Prey and other beloved titles, they are left to wonder about the future of their favorite franchises and the industry as a whole.
