One screen also name-checks a “Downtown” location, implying a city-hub map sat within the game’s mission structure.

Stylistically, the interface leans into the project’s 1970s heist vibe: bold typography, poster-like character cards, and a grainy UI framing that sells the contraband-runner fantasy without showing raw gameplay. Some character portraits originated from older Marvel fan-art placeholders in the portfolio, so they shouldn’t be treated as final art direction (though they may indicate how far along the visual identity actually was).

All of this arrives in the wake of Contraband’s shutdown earlier this year.

Bottom line: Even without gameplay footage, the UI tells a story. Contraband was gearing up as a co-op first operation, where identity, rank, and a shared lobby mattered as much as guns and cars. It looks like the bones of a stylish heist sandbox; the tragedy is we’re seeing them in menus instead of motion.

Sundberg also reflected on where things went wrong with Just Cause 4, noting that internal dynamics and external pressures dulled the series’ edge: “The problems with JC4 was partly me (unwillingly) moving away from creative leadership to more corporate crap, publisher problems, team composition and roles and more.” He added a broader critique of Avalanche’s current posture: “They need to find the fire again, take risks, piss people off and make games the rest said was impossible.”

His comments arrived amid renewed interest in Contraband, the Avalanche-developed Xbox project that surfaced in 2021 and was later halted. Sundberg clarified his role in its origins: “Me and my team pitched Contraband back in 2017 to Microsoft (and signed it). It’s changed quite a lot since then, obviously.” Reports this year confirmed that the game was shelved, followed by studio cost-cutting moves.

Bottom line: Just Cause wasn’t only a toolset. It was a philosophy of gleeful excess built by a specific crew, and without it, Sundberg argues, a numbered sequel risks becoming a brand exercise instead of a proper escalation, and that’s something he’s not willing to endorse.

On its website, the developer officially confirmed that “active development has now stopped while we evaluate the project’s future” and that it “will give an update on what’s next as soon as we can.” Its reveal trailer has also been privated.

Contraband was first announced in 2021 as an open-world co-op title set in 1970s Bayan, a fictional smuggler’s paradise, and had over 150 developers on it. It hasn’t received any news, updates or even gameplay since, and development troubles were reported last year. Avalanche would go on to cut 50 jobs and shut down two studios shortly after.

This shift arrives in the wake of mass layoffs, which severely impacted Microsoft’s Gaming division. The Initiative shut down while Undead Labs, Turn 10 Studios, and many more suffered cuts.

Amid all this is Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealing plans to expand even more into AI. The company formed a strategic partnership with OpenAI earlier this year, but has been investing billions into the company since 2019. Stay tuned for updates and other developments on Contraband’s status in the meantime.

Avowed

One of the year’s most anticipated games, Avowed, an upcoming RPG that takes place in the mystical world of The Living Lands. You must embark on a grand quest to save the world from an impending doom – and that path will be peppered with all sorts of perils. It sounds really exciting, and Avowed is easily one of the most highly anticipated games of this year. It comes out for PC and Xbox Series consoles on 18th February, 2025.

Specifically, Avalanche Studios – which has offices in Stockholm, Malmo, Liverpool, New York, and Montreal – is shutting down two of its studios- namely, the ones in New York and Montreal. That will also mean 50 employees across those two offices being laid off.

“This is an exceptionally difficult decision, but we believe it’s necessary to ensure a stable and sustainable future for the company,” Avalanche writes. “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.”

Avalanche’s Montreal studio was opened as recently as October of last year. The company joins several others that have cut large numbers of jobs over the last year and a half, including the likes of PlayStation, Microsoft, Sega, Riot Games, Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, and many others.

Avalanche Studios is currently working on open world co-op game Contraband in collaboration with Microsoft. Announced in 2021, the game is still without a release date, with reports claiming it has faced development issues behind the scenes.

Windows Central’s Jez Corden reports the co-op title has faced some “difficult development” since then due to the pandemic and “key directorial staff” leaving the project. It would explain the title’s alleged delay from 2022 to 2023 and now 2024 (an official release date is still pending). There’s no indication that it could appear at the showcase, so we’ll need to wait for more details.

On the bright side, Corden adds to the reports of Perfect Dark’s development going well, having heard that it’s “shaping up nicely now.” It’s believed to appear at the showcase following long stretches of no updates and several departures from The Initiative.

The Xbox Games Showcase is on June 9th, so stay tuned for further updates.

ONCE HUMAN

Due out sometime later this year, fans of the survival genre have had their eyes on Once Human for a while. Its post-apocalyptic setting is looking promising, especially with the variety of truly horrific monstrosities that players will be contending with, while everything that we’ve seen of its customization and progression mechanics, base building, and survival systems (which include a Sanity system) has looked quite enticing as well.

THE FIRST DESCENDANT

Nexon’s third-person shooter The First Descendant has been on quite a few radars for a couple of years now. Part-Warframe, part-Destiny, the looter shooter is promising fast combat, bombastic boss fights, and a variety of different weapons and playable characters, with the latter all coming with their own unique play styles. After a couple of beta tests over the last year, The First Descendant is due out this Summer.

WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE 2

Space Marine 2 is looking like an enticing game even if you intend to play through it solo, but true to its Gears of War-inspired lineage, co-op is going to be a huge part of the experience. The entire campaign can be played by three players together, and that’s quite an exciting prospect, especially given the bombastic, high-octane, gory action that the game is looking like it’s going to deliver.

PANICORE

A co-op survival horror game? Sign us the hell up. Panicor will see a group of five players – playing as daredevil explorers – finding themselves trapped in abandoned, urban buildings, and with a terrifying monster chasing you every stop of the way, your goal is to hide, outwit your nightmarish foe, and find a way out. Not only will players have to work together to solve elaborate puzzles and effectively explore their environments, they’ll also be constantly contending with a pursuer enemy that can literally hear every single step you take.

DESTINY 2: THE FINAL SHAPE

Destiny 2 has had as many ups as it has had downs, but where its upcoming expansion, The Final Shape, most of what Bungie has shown off so far gives us reason to be optimistic (not that there haven’t been controversial reveals- but then again, with Destiny, there are always going to be controversial reveals). On top of its new story content, the expansion is promising a new enemy race, another new subclass, new Light-based supers, significant changes to the Power level system, the return of exotic items, and much more. It’s looking increasingly likely that The Final Shape will be Destiny 2’s last major expansion (especially with recent reports claiming that Destiny 3 is in the works), so here’s hoping the long-running looter shooter signs off on a high note.

JOHN CARPENTER’S TOXIC COMMANDO

Space Marine 2 isn’t the only gleefully gory co-op game Saber Interactive is working on. John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is due out sometime this year, and it’s looking like an absolute riot so far. With the promise of over-the-top gore and humour, thrilling co-op action against massive hordes of undead enemies, and more, this first-person shooter has certainly ensured that many are going to be keeping their eye on it.

LITTLE NIGHTMARES 3

Even though Little Nightmares games have always made companion characters a core part of the experience, co-op has never been a part of the equation. That’s changed with the upcoming Little Nightmares 3, and we’re more than a little excited about that. The series’ brand of gameplay is one that would lend itself remarkably well to co-op gameplay, especially given the intense horror set-pieces that Little Nightmares games love so dearly. The fact that co-op in Little Nightmares 3 is going to be online only is disappointing, but hopefully Supermassive Games and Bandai Namco will add a couch co-op option down the line.

OUTWARD 2

Nine Dots’ 2019 action RPG Outward may not have set the world on fire, but its sequel is making some interesting promises. In addition to bringing back the first game’s gruelingly unforgiving approach to difficulty, Outward 2 is also set to boast much higher production values, according to its developer, which should hopefully make its world a much more engaging one. Though the action RPG can certainly be played solo, co-op – whether local or online, splitscreen or otherwise – is exactly the sort of thing that can make its massively challenging obstacles that much more interesting.

NO REST FOR THE WICKED

Given how good the Ori games were, it’s no surprise that Moon Studios’ No Rest for the Wicked has as many eyes on it as it does, and thus far, it’s looking like the action RPG is set to be another impressive notch on the developer’s belt. Though its recent early access release wasn’t without its issues, the core gameplay experience is undoubtedly a strong one. So far, the game is only playable solo, but its first major update will be adding four-player co-op, which we’re looking forward to keenly.

MECHWARRIOR 5: CLANS

With its promise of a story-driven experience, MechWarrior 5: Clans has got plenty of fans’ attention who may have been let down by some of the series’ more recent outings, but based on what we know of the game so far, it’s looking like its inclusion of five-player co-op may be just as big of a selling point. There’s plenty of enjoyment to get out of MechWarrior’s brand of action regardless, but the addition of four players stomping about in mechs by your side is likely to make things a little bit more interesting.

MONSTER HUNTER WILDS

Obviously, we need to have the next Monster Hunter game on a list about the most promising upcoming co-op games. There’s nothing quite like setting out on hunts with a squad of friends and taking on the series’ staggering variety of incredibly designed monsters in combat. Even if Monster Hunter Wilds was just a straightforward iteration of that formula, there’d be every reason to look forward to it, but with Capcom promising some significant evolutions for the series’ tried-and-tested formula, our excitement is sky-high.

TEMTEM SWARM

After attempting to emulate Pokemon with Temtem, Crema is now looking to take a page out of Vampire Survivors’ book with the upcoming spinoff Temtem Swarm. Built around three-player co-op, Temtem Swarm will see players engaging in frenetic top-down action and playing as cute little Temtem gunning down hordes of their own kind. It’s certainly a bizarre premise, and the game’s announcement has been met with a fair bit of backlash by the Temtem community, but we’re certainly keeping our eyes on this one.

TERMINATOR: SURVIVORS

A Terminator survival game set after Judgment Day is an elevator pitch that’s bound to grab your attention. Terminator: Survivors will see players exploring an open world setting, scavenging resources to bring back to an ever-expanding base. The hook, of course, that you’ll have to do all of this with the terrifying threat of Skynet and its machines constantly looming over you. Due out this October and playable both solo and co-op, Terminator: Survivors is definitely one we can’t wait to get our hands on.

BORDERLANDS 4

We know next to nothing about Borderlands 4 so far. Hell, it hasn’t even been officially unveiled yet. But 2K and Gearbox Entertainment have confirmed that the co-op looter shooter is in development, which, given the series’ pedigree, is enough to turn more than a few heads. How Borderlands 4 will evolve and build on the series’ formula remains to be seen, but this is a franchise that has been remarkably consistent over the years, so it’s definitely got our attention.

CONTRABAND

Avalanche Studios has built its fair share of compelling open world experiences in the past, so it’s no surprise that Contraband – a co-op open world game being made exclusively for Xbox Series X/S and PC with the full backing of Microsoft – has piqued so many people’s curiosity. Other than a logo reveal disguised as an announcement trailer, we’ve seen nothing of the game so far, but the prospect of a heist-based co-op open world sandbox is an exciting one, so hopefully, we’ll be seeing more of Contraband in the not-too-distant future.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

Ninja Theory delivered an emotionally charged narrative with 2017’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, a game that not only tackled heavy themes like psychosis in an appropriate fashion but also paved the way for many AA games in the future. The developer is hard at work on the sequel Senua’s Saga, which looks to be one of the best-looking games with its excellent use of Unreal Engine 5. The game will continue the story of Senua as she faces all manner of dangers like towering giants in an Icelandic setting, and we can’t wait to dive into it when it releases for Xbox Series consoles and PC sometime this year.

Everwild

Rare is one of the most well-known developers thanks to its ability to consistently deliver innovative games time after time again. Everwild looks to be a really ambitious game for even a developer with such a pedigree, but the development itself hasn’t been the smoothest with multiple direction changes and reboots in just a couple of years. Everwild’s release date isn’t set in stone at the moment, but it will be releasing for Xbox Series X/S and PC sometime in the near future.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series is marching towards a grand return with the imminent release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. GSC Game World’s upcoming post-apocalyptic adventure has all the markings of a great sequel, ranging from spectacular visuals to smooth modern gameplay and a brutal-looking post-apocalyptic world. It will be released for Xbox Series X/S and PC sometime this year.

The Elder Scrolls 6

Now that Bethesda has rounded up work on Starfield, the developer will now be focusing its efforts on the next entry in The Elder Scrolls series. Rumored to be set in Hammerfell, The Elder Scrolls 6 will thrust players into a fantastical world brimming with quests to do, people to meet, and factions to befriend – much like how is the case with its predecessors. It’s still in the earliest stages of development, so it’s wise to not expect much from the game in the coming months – but we do know that it will be releasing exclusively for Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Contraband

Currently in development at Avalanche Studios of Just Cause fame, Contraband is an upcoming co-op game that is set to feature an open world along with systemic game design. It’s being built using the developer’s in-house Apex Engine and will include elements like tactical vehicular combat among others. If the developer’s previous works are anything to go by, Contraband will be a beautifully chaotic game when it releases for Xbox Series X/S and PC sometime in the near future.

Marvel’s Blade (Likely Exclusive)

Arkane Studios has announced that it is working on a Marvel-licensed game called Blade, but all we have seen from the studio is a brief teaser showcasing its art style. The gameplay will be in a third-person perspective, which is a big departure from Arkane’s previous titles. We also know that the game will feature an original story, but details other than that are clouded in mystery at the moment. Marvel’s Blade will be released for Xbox Series X/S and PC sometime in the future. There may be a PlayStation 5 release but nothing is confirmed at this point.

Clockwork Revolution

Clockwork Revolution is the latest project from inXile Entertainment. It’s a game set against the backdrop of a steampunk city by the name of Avalon, and you must embark on a journey to free the city from its many troubles. The gameplay is best described as a mix of Prey and Fallout, and it looks amazing to say the least. Clockwork Revolution is slated to release in 2025 for Xbox Series consoles and PC.

OD

Hideo Kojima’s Kojima Productions recently announced its upcoming project OD which is being developed in partnership with Xbox Game Studios. OD is a survival horror project that will leverage cloud technology to create a unique experience that’s apparently against the current of modern gaming trends. It will also be using Unreal Engine’s MetaHuman technology for facial models and animations, and the trailer definitely looks impressive with its cryptic messages and awesome visuals. OD will be released for Xbox Series X/S and probably on PC sometime in the near future.

State of Decay 3

State of Decay 2 might not have had the perfect start, but Undead Labs was able to turn the game’s fate around with a consistent influx of meaningful updates. With State of Decay 3, the developer will most likely be taking important lessons from its past pitfalls and will deliver a game that’s bigger and better than what came before in almost every regard. Of course, not a lot is known about it at the moment – so we are keeping our fingers crossed for now.

Perfect Dark

A number of developers are hard at work on a Perfect Dark reboot, a game that will supposedly tell an “eco sci-fi” story in a futuristic dystopia. The announcement trailer doesn’t give much away, but it definitely looks intriguing nevertheless. It’s also in the earlier stages of development, so it’s going to be quite a bit of time before we get to see more about the gameplay and other details. Perfect Dark reboot releases for PC and Xbox Series X/S sometime in the near future.

Fable

Playground Games has been delivering one racing hit after another, but the developer is also entering uncharted territory with the upcoming Fable reboot. The announcement trailer showcased a fantastical world brimming with thick jungles along with a generally sarcastic tone in the writing department. Much of what the game would entail is still shrouded in mystery, so we will be keeping an eye out when Fable will release for PC and Xbox Series X/S sometime in the near future.

South of Midnight

Compulsion Games, the team behind We Happy Few, is working on a dark action-adventure game called South of Midnight. It takes place in a dreary world dominated by all sorts of creatures, and the story will put players in the shoes of Hazel as she rises to the call of duty when her hometown is invaded by evil. Gameplay details are scant at the moment, but the art style and the concept look pretty impressive nevertheless.

Towerborne

Towerborne is all about embarking on an epic adventure with your friends in a highly stylized environment that pops brightly with color. It’s a 2D game with a simple combat loop, but Towerborne will also feature elements like different enemy types and consistent player progression in an effort to make it a fresh experience. Towerborne is being developed by Stoic and will be releasing for Xbox and PC at some point in the future.

Robots at Midnight

Robots at Midnights revolves around the protagonist Zoe trying to regain her lost humanity in a brutal world inhabited by all manner of mechanical monstrosities. Featuring a cartoony art style, Robots at Midnight’s gameplay is all about exploring the vast world and fighting a whole host of different robots that stand between you and your goal. It looks simple yet solid, and Robots at Midnight will be releasing for PC and Xbox Series consoles at a future date.

Starfield: Shattered Space

While Starfield is far from a perfect game, it was a compelling space odyssey with plenty of merits to its name. Fans are obviously having a good time exploring the furthest reaches of space, and Starfield is set to receive an expansion in the form of Shattered Space sometime this year. The DLC will include new story content, locations, gear, and much more – so there’s quite a bit to look forward to with this expansion.

Project Odyssey

Developer Blizzard is hard at work on a survival game that’s currently codenamed Project Odyssey. Details on what the game might entail are shrouded in mystery, but there are rumors that it would include first-person combat and a cartoony art style similar to Overwatch. It’s quite some ways out from release, so it might be better to not expect much information to be released in the coming months – but it is definitely something worth looking out for. According to rumors it may be coming to Xbox and PC.

Ark 2

Ark: Survival Evolved was an excellent survival game that managed to capture the hearts of thousands upon thousands of loyal fans, and Ark 2 looks to be building upon that already-established goodwill with a star-studded cast of Hollywood actors like Vin Diesel and a bevy of improvements in the gameplay department. Ark 2 will be released in 2024 for Xbox Series X/S and PC.

As it happens, there’s a ton of games that pluck bits of GTA’s aesthetic and mould it into their own experience. The games on this rundown aren’t just crime orientated; many adapt an immersive, life sim experience into a vibrant open world. Check out these 15 upcoming GTA-like games, as there’ll certainly be a time when you’ll want another open world to dive into.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Like a Dragon’s likeable underdog Ichiban Kasuga unites with Yakuza mainstay Kazuma Kiryu in another spawling RPG epic set along the shorelines of tropical Hawaii alongside the more familiar districts of Japan. Set to be the longest game in the Yakuza oeuvre at 45-50 hours, our two larger-than-life heroes have been brought together by the hands of fate, joining forces to fight sinister foes. Jobs, skills, and outlandish scenarios return as well as turn-based combat. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth releases January 26^th, 2024, to PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

InZOI

The goal of hyper-realistic life sim InZOI is to keep its denizens suitably fed, watered, and happy. There are jobs to apply for, chores to fulfil, instruments to play, and ovens to set on fire. With an extensive character customisation and in-depth build mode, InZOI promises hours of life affirming gameplay. Playable platforms aren’t confirmed at this stage, and we’re expecting to wait another year before we can dive in; InZOI is targeting a late 2024 release window.

VIGILANCER 2099

In this open-world RPG, you’ll play as a bounty hunter tasked with rising through a criminal empire whilst earning money on bounties to spend on weapons and upgrades. Of course, this being a Cyberpunk 2077 adjacent game, neon-lit rain-soaked city streets imbued in shades of pink and purple characterise the experience. In truth, VIGILANCER 2099’s puddle-strewn streets look incredible. Let’s hope the gameplay, touting flying vehicles and multiple traversal options – including a fun looking parkour mechanic – match up to the visual splendour. This one’s been in the works for a while; there’s no official release window, and up to now it seems to be PC only.

Everywhere

Rockstar alumni Leslie Benzies’ new studio Build a Rocket Boy’s first outing is a community-driven open world extravaganza, one whereby imagination runs riot, where players can build, play, and connect in newfound ways. What does this entail in terms of gameplay? Well, you and your mates can explore vast biomes, take down entire armies, race cars across crystal laser worlds, or simply hang out. Everywhere promises everything. A closed alpha began on December 5^th.

Nivalis 

Another life sim on this rundown, this time blending real-life visuals with a pixel art aesthetic, in Nivalis players can grow businesses and manage restaurants. Apartments can be bought and fish can be caught. The sky’s the limit in this city stretching from the shore to the clouds. Nivalis has a speculative 2024 release date, with PC looking like the only platform announced thus far.

Mumbai Gullies

Rise to high society in one of India’s most vibrant cities in Mumbai Gullies, a third-person open world adventure featuring more activities than you can shake a stick at. Invest in the stock exchange, go shopping, go out for lunch, explore the tourist traps all whilst reaching the top of a criminal empire. Mumbai seems an exceptional setting for an exciting experience. Coming to PC, with a release window yet to be announced, be sure to wishlist this one on Steam to keep in the loop.

171

Playable right now in early access is this Brazilian inspired Grand Theft Auto. 171 is an open world action adventure, one that’ll be immediately familiar to residents of Brazil. Here, every action has a reaction, aggression draws attention, wielding weaponry brings the full force of the law and a slew of bandits at your door. 171 is a living, breathing experience, densely populated with innocent civilians and interactive elements. Coming to PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC when the game’s alpha period is over.

Gangstar New York 

Originally set to release in 2022, perhaps owing to Gangstar New York’s lofty ambition the game has suffered numerous delays. An open alpha ended in May 2023, but a release date still isn’t forthcoming. When it does come out, expect a social sandbox experience set in a near-future New York that’s ripe for the taking by some criminal underling. Players will be free to traverse the world as they see fit, with running, driving, climbing, parkour, grapple hooks, ziplines, and jetpacks all on offer as players journey to the top of the criminal underworld. Hopefully everything is running smoothly behind the scenes, and we’ll see a release date soon.

The Precinct

Heavily indebted to old-school GTA only this time instead of becoming a criminal kingpin in a reimagined US city, players will rise through the ranks of fictional Averno City’s police force. This action sandbox features procedurally generated crimes, from petty misdemeanours like parking infractions and littering to halting illegal street races, undertaking exhilarating car chases through twisted streets and alleyways on the hunt for powerful enemies and responding to bank heists alongside Averno’s finest, with player choice on how to complete each mission front and centre. UK developer Fallen Tree Games are plotting a 2024 release, with PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S the announced platforms.

Project Balod

Another story-driven action adventure on this rundown taking place on the streets of an Indian city, Project Balod is semi-open world but features a heavily dose of shooting action, with a mysterious narrative to unspool amidst the chaotic urban backdrop. Not a lot is known about this Indian gangster game, with the developer yet to announce a release date or playable platforms.

Contraband

Contraband is an upcoming co-op heist game from Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios. Set in the fictional 1970s world of Bayan, Contraband is described as a smuggler’s paradise. Squads can plan heists from their base of operations, with a host of valuable loot on offer for well executed plans. There’s no release date confirmed for this one yet but owing to the studio’s pedigree this is sure to be a hit when it does come out.

Project Madras

Amongst the best-looking games on this rundown owing to its development in Unreal Engine 5, Project Madras takes place on the open world streets of Chennai. A vibrant, explorative affair, Project Madras will have players roaming the marinas, monuments, and side streets of this exhilarating city, a place with homely locals, and a side of spicy Chennai. A game in the early stages of development, no release window or playable platforms have been announced yet.

Star Wars Outlaws

With the slew of scoundrels dotted throughout the galaxy, it’s a marvel no studio has attempted a game like Star Wars Outlaws yet. Massive Entertainment’s open-world adventure through the retched hives of scum and villainy looks exceptional, with players’ plotting one of the biggest heists this side of the outer rim territories across the familiar deserts of Tatooine. Coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2024.

Cyberpunk 2077 Orion

Cyberpunk 2077 is well and truly redeemed, and whilst CD Projekt Red have announced they’re pooling resources into The Witcher 4, eyes will certainly be looking expectedly on codename Orion, Cyberpunk 2077’s sequel. For their part, the Polish developer are stationing a new team in Boston who’ll steadily plug away in the coming years. We can only imagine the splendour of Night City given a few years’ worth of development and expertise – let’s just hope this one is playable from the off.

Mafia 4 (Rumored)

Will there ever be a Mafia 4? Well, developer Hanger 13 announced in 2022 that Mafia’s fourth iteration was in active development. Since then, information has been scant. Latest rumours are that Mafia 4 will be set in 20^th century Sicily. Whether this rumour turns out to be true is anyone’s guess. Put this one firmly in the rumoured pile.

Speaking recently on the GameOnDaily podcast, Xbox insider Colteastwood has claimed that Contraband has been hit with an internal delay, with Avalanche Studios needing “a whole another year” for the project as compared to what was initially projected.

Of course, delays are by no means a rarity for games, and this wouldn’t be the first time we’re hearing about one for Contraband itself. Last year, it was claimed that the game was originally set to launch in 2022, but had to be internally pushed back by a year.

Whether or not Contraband will show up at the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase in a couple weeks’ time remains to be seen, though hopefully, Microsoft will have at least a brief update to share on the game and how its development is going.