Just Cause Dev Shutters UK Studio In Aftermath of Xbox’s Contraband Cancellation

Expert Verified By

Partnership With Xbox Ended Last Month And Led To Layoffs And Studio Closure!

Story Highlight
  • Avalanche Studios, the team behind Just Cause, recently faced a major cancellation with Contraband.
  • The studio’s Liverpool office has been closed following the end of Xbox and Avalanche Studios’ partnership.
  • The team also confirms that offices in Malmo and Stockholm will face layoffs in the wake of recent events.

Avalanche Studios was working on a major Xbox project over the last few years. Unfortunately, Contraband, alongside the likes of Perfect Dark, was recently cancelled by Xbox.

Avalanche Studios faces a difficult situation following this cancellation. Today, the team has confirmed the closure of one major office and various layoffs.

Why it matters: Big studios continue to battle layoffs one after another. Avalanche Studios’ case once again highlights the dire state of the AAA gaming industry at the moment.

 

According to Avalanche Studios, Contraband’s cancellation has forced the team to completely close down its office in Liverpool.

Moreover, studios in Malmo and Stockholm will suffer from layoffs due to this cancellation. Although the exact number of employees impacted remains a mystery, Avalance Studios is set to go through a major restructuring soon.

The team has still promised to support all those impacted by this decision. Moreover, it remains committed to providing excellent games in the future as it continues to navigate this challenging time.

We are proposing to close our Liverpool studio. This will impact all Avalanchers in Liverpool. The changes will also impact other studios.

Just Cause 3
A New Just Cause Game Might Not Be Coming Anytime Soon

The team is best known for its work on games like Just Cause, Rage 2, and theHunter: Call of the Wild. Recent reports already suggested that Just Cause 5 had been scrapped, so the latest news continues this trend for Avalanche Studios.

As unfortunate as this news is, it’s hard to blame Xbox for this particular cancellation. Unlike Perfect Dark, Contraband had next to no substantial showings since its initial reveal. The game was likely going nowhere, resulting in Xbox’s decision to abandon development altogether.

What do you think about the current state of Avalanche Studios? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔

Gear Up For Latest News

Get exclusive gaming & tech news before it drops. Sign up today!

Join Our Community

Still having issues? Join the Tech4Gamers Forum for expert help and community support!

Latest News

Join Our Community

104,000FansLike
32,122FollowersFollow

Trending

Epic Games Accuses Valve of “Illegal” Methods Over Steam Microtransactions and Fees

Epic Game's CEO accuess Valve, stating that the company still employs excessive commissions and pricing structures that he claims are illegal.

Bethesda Veteran Says Starfield Would’ve Been A Hit If It Was Developed By Some Other Studio

Skyrim lead says if a new, smaller studio developed Starfield, it would've been a hit, because the expectations from Bethesda were too high.

Modders Unlock Multi-Frame Generation Alongside FSR 4, Results Shown On The RX 7900

Modders have now managed to enable FSR 4 and Multi Frame Gen on the 4-year-old RX 7900 and showcased it by running Cyberpunk 2077.

Ex-Rockstar Dev Praises Crimson Desert: “I’m Impressed With The Game”

A former Rockstar developer has reacted to Crimson Desert's latest gameplay, sharing nothing but positive words for the RPG.

Resident Evil Requiem Will Be Less Scary Than RE7, But Still An Improvement Over Village

Resident Evil Requiem director Koshi Nakanishi says that Capcom has toned down the horror in the game since players found RE7 too scary.