An Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S exclusive game from Xbox Game Studios that has been missing since its reveal, and thought to be silently cancelled by some, is still alive. This comes after renewed speculation that the game was killed off in the recent Xbox layoffs, which were punctuated by a studio closure and a couple of projects being killed. Given that the game in question has been MIA, some assumed it probably was also cancelled, or in danger of being cancelled, but that this simply hadn’t been reported on yet. And maybe the latter is true, but the former is not, and we know it is not because the developer behind the game is still hiring for the game.
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The Xbox game in question was announced back on June 13, 2021 by developer Avalanche Studios and Xbox Game Studios as an Xbox Series X|S exclusive, or at least as a console exclusive, as it was also announced for PC. For those not familiar with the former, it is the studio best known for the Just Cause series, though the Just Cause series are not the only games it is responsible since its founding in 2003. To this end, it only has one announced project in the works, and it is not a new Just Cause, but Contraband, a “co-op smuggler game.”
All of that said, it has been four since the game’s announcement, and all that has followed is crickets. So, it is reasonable to think it was silently canned, as games sometimes are. However, the studio is still hiring for the game, which seemingly confirms it’s still happening. What exactly is happening that is causing the game to take so long though is a mystery.
Not only is the studio hiring for the game, but looking to fill senior and lead positions, which itself seemingly suggests turnover and possibly the game still not being too far along in development. This is just speculation though.
At the moment of publishing, Avalanche Studios and Xbox Game Studios continue to not provide any update on the game, leaving Xbox fans with nothing but speculation. If this changes, we will update the story accordingly.
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