Just Cause developer announces layoffs and studio closures, including one office open less than a year

Just Cause developer Avalanche is shutting two of its five offices, one of which had been open for less than 12 months.

Last night, the company announced it will close down its New York and Montreal studios. As a result of these closures, 50 employees will be laid off, equating to roughly nine percent of Avalanche's overall workforce.

In a statement shared on Avalanche's website, the studio called these closures an "exceptionally difficult decision", but one it believed "necessary to ensure a stable and sustainable future for the company".

"Our focus is now on supporting all Avalanchers through this challenging time," it continued. "We're grateful for the invaluable contributions of those leaving and remain committed to creating incredible gaming experiences for our players."

Avalanche opened its New York office in 2011, while the Montreal office only opened in October last year, following the acquisition of Monster Closet Games. At this time, the company called this acquisition "a fantastic way to start our new chapter".

Avalanche is sadly one of many studios to suffer layoffs and closures this year. According to an archive tallying layoffs across the industry, more than 10,000 people have been laid off from their jobs across the video game industry in 2024 alone. Others impacted include Microsoft, Sony, Square Enix, and this is merely scratching the surface.

For more on this topic, be sure to read Chris Dring's feature: What is going on with layoffs in the video games industry?