Contraband Ceases Active Development

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Following the indefinite postponement of Rare’s “Everwild,” The Initiative’s “Perfect Dark” and Zenimax’s “Project Blackbird,” Microsoft appears to have cancelled “Contraband,” the cooperative action-adventure game being developed by Avalanche Studios.

On their website, the developers have announced that they’ve temporarily halted active development to reconsider the project’s direction. They promised to share updates on future plans as soon as possible. Additionally, their initial reveal trailer is now private.

In 2021, “Contraband” was initially unveiled as a multiplayer game set in the open world of a 1970s fictional haven for smugglers known as Bayan. This ambitious project had more than 150 team members working on it. However, since then, no new information, updates, or even gameplay footage has been shared. Last year, there were rumors about development issues with the game. Following this, Avalanche Studios reportedly let go of 50 employees and closed down two of their studios.

This change comes following a wave of job losses that significantly affected Microsoft’s Gaming department. Project Initiative was closed down, while Undead Labs, Turn 10 Studios, and numerous others experienced staff reductions.

In the midst of ongoing events, Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, is unveiling ambitious plans to broaden their horizons in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Earlier this year, they established a strategic alliance with OpenAI, and have been pouring billions into it since 2019. Keep an eye out for future updates and developments regarding the progress of Contraband in the meantime.

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2025-08-07 20:42