Creator of Just Cause Believes a Fifth Game in the Series is Unlikely

Christofer Sundberg’s New Venture and the Future of Just Cause

In late 2020, Christofer Sundberg, the visionary behind the Just Cause franchise, departed from Avalanche Studios, a company he co-founded. Following his exit, he established Liquid Swords, a new development studio focused on creating an expansive open-world game reminiscent of the Grand Theft Auto series. The project piqued gamers’ interest when it was initially unveiled, and recently, Liquid Swords shared a tantalizing ten-second clip of in-game footage to further engage its audience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj03nvr0DiU

Liquid Swords Untitled Project – Official Teaser Trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj03nvr0DiU)

Discussions on Just Cause 5

Not long ago, Sundberg revisited discussions surrounding Just Cause, expressing doubts about the likelihood of a fifth installment from Avalanche Studios. In a series of tweets shared on X, he indicated that the team, which originally sparked the franchise’s success, has significantly diminished, making the development of a new title challenging.

“Me and my team pitched Contraband back in 2017 to Microsoft, and while it has evolved dramatically since then, I would have loved to see it released eventually. Regrettably, Just Cause 5 seems unlikely since very few from the original team remain, ”Sundberg commented.

Reflecting on his tenure, he noted, “The struggles of Just Cause 4 stemmed partly from my shift away from creative leadership to more corporate responsibilities, alongside publisher challenges and team dynamics. It’s disappointing, as looking back, Just Cause 4 held a lot of potential.”He also emphasized the need for the studio to rediscover its creative spark.

When a follower suggested that a fifth installment could save the company, Sundberg rejected the idea, stating, “I doubt it. The studio needs to reignite its passion for innovation, challenge the norms, and pursue projects that others deem impossible. I founded Avalanche to break the mold, not to conform to it.”

Avalanche Studios’ Current Challenges

Unfortunately, Avalanche Studios has faced significant difficulties in recent years. The aforementioned Contraband project was ultimately canceled by Microsoft in August, prompting the closure of the Liverpool office and leading to layoffs in both the Stockholm and Malmö teams. In June 2024, Avalanche also closed its Montréal and New York offices, resulting in an additional fifty job losses.

The last installment in the Just Cause series, Just Cause 4, was released in 2018. It experienced mixed reception from critics and players alike and, more troubling, did not perform well commercially. Square Enix later acknowledged that the game’s sales fell short of recovering the development costs.

Despite having some serene moments that provided a break from the chaotic gameplay, many players found it telling that such respites were needed, perhaps indicating a lack of overall engagement.

The landscape for Avalanche Studios and its flagship franchise remains uncertain, and fans can only hope for a resurgence of creativity and ambition within the company as they look towards possible future developments.

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