The ongoing changes at Microsoft have once again hurt its gaming division, and it looks like Contraband is the latest victim. This highly anticipated game from Avalanche Studios, which is known for the exciting and explosive Just Cause series, was going to be a co-op open-world adventure published by Xbox Game Studios.
The first reveal at E3 2021, which included a short, atmospheric trailer, got many in the gaming community very excited, but there have been few updates on the project’s progress since then. The future of Contraband is looking less and less certain. Avalanche Studios recently posted a sad update on its official website: “Active development has now stopped while we evaluate the project’s future.”
The statement went on to thank the community for their excitement and said they would provide more information “as soon as we can.” Microsoft and its gaming properties have been going through a rougher, more chaotic time lately. Microsoft started a series of massive job cuts earlier this year. In May, they cut 7,000 jobs, which is about 3% of their global workforce. Then, later in the summer, they cut another 9,000 jobs.
Microsoft is still streamlining its operations, and these changes have hit the gaming industry the hardest. As a result, many well-known studios and projects have closed down. Besides Contraband, some other well-known projects that have been canceled or put on hold are
- Everwild from Rare
- The Perfect Dark reboot from The Initiative
- Warcraft Rumble from Blizzard Entertainment
- Blackbird from Zenimax
- An unnamed FPS title from Romero Games
The effect has also been very strong at the studio level, where several Xbox developers are losing their jobs. Some studios, like The Initiative, have been completely shut down, underscoring the seriousness of these corporate restructuring efforts. The possible end of Contraband is a stark reminder of how things are in the gaming industry right now: even promising projects from well-known developers are not immune to larger business decisions.
