Just Cause 5 is Off the Table, Avalanche Studios Eyes New Horizons

Just Cause series was developed by Avalanche Studios, and the company may not be coming back to its hit series anytime soon. In a recent interview, co-founder Cristofer Sundberg confirmed that Just Cause 5 is not likely to happen. This indicates that the company is willing to try new things and make changes to its staff.

It had been going around for years that there would be a Just Cause 5, but Sundberg made it clear that the game was never going to happen. A new project called Contraband is currently being worked on by Avalanche. It was pitched to Microsoft in 2017. As Sundberg put it, "It's changed a lot since then, but it would have been great to see it come out somehow."

Just Cause 5 would be a no-go.

Sundberg said that Just Cause 5 might not be able to save the company when asked if it was possible to do so. "I don't think so." They need to get the fire going again, be brave, make people mad, and make games that everyone else said were impossible. I began Avalanche to be different, not to fit in.

Sundberg's comments reveal a philosophical divide between adhering to a familiar brand for safety's sake and pursuing innovative, original projects. In the past few days, some leaked pictures from the development of Contraband have been posted online. These pictures define various UI choices. Even though these pictures didn't show much, they do show that Avalanche is trying new things instead of depending on what has worked in the past.

Contraband is carving its own path.

People in the business world have noticed that Avalanche has undergone numerous staff changes over the years. A very small number of the people who worked on Just Cause originally are still in the business. This change in staff makes me wonder if a new Just Cause could catch the same spirit as the old ones. Compared to other titles, this is similar to how Sucker Punch handled Sly Cooper: only a small part of the team had played the original games before.

It's not a given that a new Just Cause would be successful, even if it were accepted, budgeted, and picked up by a publisher. Sundberg's comments suggest that a safe and tried-and-true choice like Just Cause might not always align with the studio's current skills or creative direction.

The studio's spirit remains, but the people are different.

Sundberg says that the Avalanche's main goal is to keep the studio's artistic spirit alive, rather than relying on traditional methods. He emphasizes the importance of trying new things, taking chances, and not just conforming to existing molds. If this energy stays with the current team, Contraband could show that the company has new goals.

Going back to Just Cause is still a safe choice, maybe through a redo or remaster, but Avalanche seems determined to go its own way. Sundberg says that these kinds of projects allow the studio to bring its ideas up to date and try new things, rather than relying solely on the nostalgia of old hits.

Just Cause could be a safe fallback, but not a guarantee.

The talk about Just Cause 5 brings up an important tension in the game development process: how to balance old franchises with new ideas. It appears that Avalanche has made its choice: to move forward with new ideas, such as Contraband, while still honoring the past, yet not being bound by it.

In the end, Sundberg's words reveal that the studio is willing to try new things and take risks, even if it means ending one of its most famous shows. While fans of Just Cause may have to wait, Avalanche's future looks bright with bold, new adventures that aim to break the mold once more.