Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios Group is shuttering two studios and, because of this, is shedding roughly 9% of its general workforce, in accordance with a statement on its website. Avalanche is the most recent developer to announce studio closures and employees layoffs in a 12 months that seen 1000’s of layoffs within the gaming business.
“Since its inception over 20 years in the past, Avalance Studios Group has grown to embody 5 places worldwide: Stockholm, New York, Malmö, Liverpool, and Montreal. Right now, we regretfully announce the closure of two of these places: New York and Montreal,” the assertion reads. “This implies we’ll be parting methods with round 50 valued buddies and colleagues, which represents roughly 9 p.c of Avalanchers worldwide.”
The closure of the Montreal location is very stunning given the truth that the studio has solely been open for about eight months, first opening its doors in October 2023.
On Twitter, present and former Avalanche workers are mourning the choice, together with Christofer Sundberg, creator of the Just Cause franchise and founding father of Avalanche’s headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Sundberg left Avalanche in February 2019.
Avalanche NYC was the perfect, emotional and studying journeys ever. I’m very saddened to see this superior group gone. I’ll share some tales to honor the group and rejoice what we did. https://t.co/1feIciUySg
— Christofer Sundberg 🧨💦⚔️ (@CHSundberg) June 3, 2024
Avalanche recently entered a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with its Swedish employees, who unionized within the hopes of creating “standardized frameworks round important areas reminiscent of salaries, advantages, worker affect, and profession assist.”
“That is an exceptionally tough determination, however we imagine it is necessary to make sure a secure and sustainable future for the corporate,” Avalanche’s assertion relating to the closure of the Montreal and New York studios added. “Our focus is now on supporting all Avalanchers via this difficult time. We’re grateful for the invaluable contributions of these leaving and stay dedicated to creating unbelievable gaming experiences for our gamers.”
Avalanche is presently engaged on a brand new sport known as Contraband, which it describes as “a co-op smugglers’ paradise set within the fictional world of Seventies Bayan.” Little is understood concerning the project–including its launch date–but we do know that Contraband can be obtainable on Recreation Go at launch.