Avalanche Studios shuts down two offices to "ensure a stable and sustainable future for the company"

Avalanche Studios Group, best known for the Just Cause franchise, has announced its decision to close two studios. As a result, dozens of people will lose their jobs.

Just Cause 4

Avalanche issued a statement on its official website, saying that it is closing its studios in New York and Montreal. It will lay off 50 employees, or roughly 9% of its global workforce.

“This is an exceptionally difficult decision, but we believe it’s necessary to ensure a stable and sustainable future for the company,” Avalanche said. “Our focus is now on supporting all Avalanchers through this challenging time. We’re grateful for the invaluable contributions of those leaving and remain committed to creating incredible gaming experiences for our players.”

Interestingly, Avalanche Studios Group opened the Montreal location in October 2023 after acquiring studio Monster Closet. The team, led by Ubisoft and 343 Industries veteran Graeme Jennings, was expected to help the company develop current and future IPs. Unfortunately, the office was operational for less than eight months.

The New York location was opened in November 2011 to work on Just Cause 3.

Founded in 2003, Avalanche Studios Group currently has three studios located in Stockholm (Sweden), Malmö (Sweden), and Liverpool (England). The company rose to fame with the Just Cause franchise, with other games in its portfolio including Mad Max, theHunter, and Rage 2. Right now, it is working on Contraband, a co-op heist game developed in partnership with Xbox Game Studios.

Avalanche Studios Group joins a cohort of game developers and publishers that have cut jobs in recent months. In the first five months of 2024, over 10,000 games industry professionals have already lost their jobs, and this trend isn’t going away anytime soon.