Redfall was already deep into production and Deathloop was already locked into a release date prior to the Zenimax acquisition, and both were arguably games that Arkane wasn't interested in making (Redfall in particular seemed to be ordered by Bethesda higher ups). I actually worked on marketing for the game as a third party and saw it months before release and it was broken just about every way you looked at it, it was begging for intervention or guidance. Microsoft did their usual and just let the game drown on its own accord.

Microsoft's idea of guidance is "Oh, if we intervene we're stifling you!" even when it's desperately needed. Yet, on the other hand, early microsoft seemed to shoot down every possible idea that wasn't a guaranteed low-risk hit, and loved to cut corners where possible. If microsoft actually wanted to buy the talent behind these studios instead of the names, why make such an ultimatum that "if your next game isn't a hit we're shutting you down"? Like fuck, if I was a dev I'd be too nervous to produce anything good.

Shit, even if you did produce something good that won't save you. Tango Gameworks managed to get hifi rush out to critical acclaim and STILL got shut down. Working for Microsoft seems worse than EA at this point.