Jerk Gustafsson Named New President of Arkane Studios

Jerk Gustafsson has taken over as the new president of Arkane Studios, following the resignation of Leonard Bodel. Gustafsson was previously the director and co-founder of MachineGames, the studio behind titles like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and the Wolfenstein series.

According to filings on Pappers.fr, this leadership transition occurred on June 30th, coinciding with the end of Microsoft's fiscal quarter and year. However, Jason Schreier clarified on social media that this change has roots in an earlier appointment. A year ago, in July 2025, Gustafsson was promoted to "Director of European Studios," a role that appears to encompass oversight of both Arkane and MachineGames. While the exact scope of this director position (Bethesda or all of Xbox) remains slightly unclear, it's evident that he has been supervising both studios for several months.

This development may not be directly linked to the widely discussed restructuring and potential layoffs affecting Asha Sharma and other studios. Rumors have circulated regarding the uncertain future of Arkane and its current project, the Marvel's Blade game announced at The Game Awards 2023. There have also been discussions about a potential merger between Arkane and MachineGames, building on their past collaborations on titles like Deathloop and Wolfenstein: Youngblood.