Avalanche Studios, the makers of the Just Cause series (not to be confused with Avalanche Software) announced they are making a new game under Xbox Game Studios.
This is one of the many reveals at the 2021 Xbox + Bethesda Showcase.
Called Contraband, it is a co-op “smuggler’s paradise” set in the fictional Southeast Asian region of Bayan in the 1970’s. The game will be using a new version of the Apex Engine, the game engine that powered the Just Cause games as well as Rage 2.
“Contraband is our most ambitious game yet and working closely together with Xbox Games Studios has been a great experience,” said Omar Shakir, Game Director at Avalanche Studios in the reveal blog post. “We can’t wait to share more about the game and the world of Bayan.”
The last time Avalanche made a Southeast Asian-inspired setting it’s for Just Cause 2’s Panau, filled with hilarious-yet-accurate location names (shoutout to “Awan Cendawan” Nuclear Power Plant) and very familiar English accents for us SEA folks.
The folks at Kakuchopurei (via Malay Mail) reported that Malaysian novelist Bernice Chauly is part of the writing team. So we can rest assured there will be some authenticity to the fictional Bayan region. We can see “Ketok Magic” in the workshop- that’s an Indonesian reference for car bodywork workshops.
Contraband is coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam, Microsoft Store) and will be available on Xbox Game Pass on launch.