Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios announces Liverpool shutdown and workforce cuts in Sweden

[Redaktion]

Avalanche Studios, known for its work on the Mad Max and Just Cause franchises, has embarked on a journey to cut down on its workforce at other locations even as it moves to close down its Liverpool office.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Just-Cause-developer-Avalanche-Studios-announces-Liverpool-shutdown-and-workforce-cuts-in-Sweden.1129380.0.html

[TruthIsThere]

I don't know, but... in my opinion; Avalanche Studios (AS) should have prioritized fixing JC4 with a remake moons ago & then channeled that momentum into developing JC5. The franchise had immense potential to stand alongside giants like GTA ect,. With its over-the-top physics, explosive sandbox gameplay, & Rico's brand of chaos, JC could have carved out a dominant niche in the open-world genre.

Instead, JC suffered from a crisis of identity; it didn't know whether it wanted to be; a GTA competitor, a Sleeping Dogs competitor, a Batman's Arkham competitor (the first 2 Batmans & Arkham Knight) a pure sandbox, or a live-service game. It tried to be everything & ended up resonating with no one completely. The game launched in a rough state, plagued by technical issues, underwhelming visuals (especially in water and textures), & a lack of meaningful world interactivity. Entire city areas felt hollow; static, lifeless, & devoid of things to do beyond the main missions.

Worse still, the monetization strategy backfired. AS/SE charging extra for major DLC packs; especially when the base game already felt incomplete; alienated players who had stuck with the series through JC3's rocky launch. The community expected evolution, not fragmentation.

Now, the franchise, & AS, is at a crossroads. To survive & thrive, AS needs to rediscover the soul of it strengths & it is its JC's franchise... but finally done right (no exceptions or excuses); the unapologetic, physics-fueled mayhem, the sense of freedom, the joy of destruction. They need a clear vision... is JC a cinematic action epic? A co-op sandbox? A solo playground of chaos?

Whatever the direction, it must be focused, polished & player-respecting. Because right now, one of the most unique IPs in open-world gaming is lost in the wind; just like Rico's parachute & the company as a whole.