Xbox Halts Development on Co-Op Game From Just Cause Studio Kojimas OD Reportedly Still in the Works

Avalanche Studios’ high-stakes heist shooter, Contraband, is no longer in development. The ambitious co-op title, announced in 2021 with Xbox Game Studios backing, vanishes without a trace after a period of radio silence. Contraband joins a growing list of Microsoft-backed projects that have met an untimely end. However, whispers from the shadows confirm Hideo Kojima’s chilling horror project, OD, remains very much alive and continues its unsettling development under the Xbox banner.

Microsoft Cancels Contraband

Avalanche Studios pulled the plug on Contraband, a move initially unearthed by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier on Thursday. The Swedish developer, in a stark website update, acknowledged the cancellation and vaguely hinted at a potential resurrection, stating the game’s future is under review.

The fate of Contraband hangs in the balance. Avalanche Studios Group and Xbox Game Studios Publishing have confirmed that active development has ceased as they reassess the project’s future. The developers acknowledged the community’s anticipation, stating they will provide an update on the game’s direction as soon as possible. The heist is on hold, but not necessarily off.

Avalanche Studios’Contraband, a co-op smuggling adventure pitched as a 1970s Bayan-set paradise, might be dead in the water. Despite initial hype following its 2021 E3 reveal, where a cinematic trailer promised a stylish, Southeast Asia-inspired world, whispers of cancellation are swirling. Industry insider Jason Schreier fueled the rumors, claiming the Xbox exclusive originally slated for Game Pass, Steam, and Windows has been scrapped. The future ofContraband, once a beacon of hope for Xbox fans, now hangs precariously in the balance.

Hideo Kojima’s OD Still in Development

Whispers of cancellation haunted Kojima Productions’ “OD” after Xbox’s recent shakeups, fueling fan anxieties about the horror title’s fate. But fear not, disciples of dread! Microsoft has emerged from the shadows, confirming to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier that “OD” remains very much alive. The veil of secrecy, however, clings tight. Beyond this reassurance, the abyss offers no further details.

Xbox just hit another snag. Barely a month after Microsoft’s massive layoffs – a brutal cut of 9,000 jobs, gutting nearly four percent of its workforce – the ax has fallen again. This time, it’s claimed a new victim in Xbox’s pipeline. Following earlier casualties like the Perfect Dark reboot and Rare’s ambitious Everwild, whispers are now swirling about a scrapped unannounced MMO project from ZeniMax Online Studios, the masterminds behind The Elder Scrolls Online. Is this just a course correction, or a sign of deeper turbulence within the House of Xbox?

The grim reaper of corporate restructuring swung its scythe through Xbox, leaving a trail of talented casualties. Beyond the headlines, beloved studios felt the blade. Candy Crush creator King saw colleagues depart. Call of Duty houses Raven Software and Sledgehammer Games weren’t spared. Even the sacred halls of Halo and the hallowed asphalt of Forza felt the tremor. Whispers suggest Turn10 Studios, the very heart of Forza Motorsport, faced a near-total decimation.

Microsoft Slices Jobs Despite Explosive Growth.

Fresh off breaching the $3 trillion valuation mark – joining the exclusive club alongside Apple – Microsoft revealed record-breaking Xbox Game Pass revenue nearing $5 billion. CEO Satya Nadella proudly announced the milestone during last week’s FY25 earnings call, highlighting a robust 10% surge in overall gaming revenue and a 13% leap in Xbox content and services. Yet, shadowed by these triumphant figures lurks a stark reality: job cuts. The juxtaposition of financial success and workforce reduction paints a perplexing picture for the tech giant.

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