Arkane Studios Gets Positive Update as Jerk Gustafsson, MachineGames Studio Director, Becomes Its President

Amid ongoing rumors and news that Arkane Studios might be shut down soon due to Microsoft's restructuring, there has been a report that the studio has appointed a new president - the individual who is known as one of the Wolfenstein franchise creators as well as last year’s Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

As revealed by bogorad222, with reference to registration documents, starting from June 30, 2026, Jerk Gustafsson has become the president of Arkane Studios. Gustafsson is the studio director of MachineGames and was involved in the development of the Wolfenstein video games and served as the game director for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, released in 2024. He replaced Leonard Bendel, who left the position voluntarily. The studio has not yet officially announced this appointment, and it is still not revealed whether Jerk Gustafsson will be replaced as the studio director of MachineGames.

Arkane Studios news

Change of Leadership

Pursuant to the decisions of the sole shareholder dated June 30, 2026, it was decided to appoint Mr. Jerk GUSTAFSSON as President, replacing Mr. Leonard BENDEL, who resigned, effective from the same date.

A bit of clarity (or perhaps the opposite) was added to these discussions by gaming insider and Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier. He wrote on his Bluesky that Jerk Gustafsson was and still is the studio director of Arkane since July 2025. Schreier also noted that he has no information about the fate of Marvel's Blade.

As mentioned earlier, Arkane Studios is reportedly one of the main candidates for closure amid Microsoft's ongoing restructuring process, and if this happens, Marvel’s Blade, which was announced by the studio in 2021, could be cancelled. However, the appointment of Jerk Gustafsson as the studio's president gives the fans hope that the developers will continue their job and that the company will remain active.

Speaking of MachineGames, the studio is reportedly working on Wolfenstein 3 —details about which emerged earlier this year, although the project has yet to be officially confirmed.

Are you excited that Jerk Gustafsson is the new president of Arkane Studios? Share your thoughts in the comments below!