Key Takeaways
Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark
- Aionguard, a medieval fantasy action-adventure game similar to Just Cause, was in development by Avalanche Studios but was cancelled due to a shift in strategies by a major publisher who preferred to focus on existing licenses.
- The cancellation of Aionguard led to a series of setbacks for Avalanche Studios, including the abandonment of Arcadia Rising, an open-world steampunk game.
- Christofer Sundberg, co-founder of Avalanche Studios, expressed bitterness regarding the fate of unreleased Avalanche projects due to these setbacks.
- In other gaming news, Crimson Desert launched with mixed reviews, Pokémon Home transfers were enabled, Cyberpunk 2077 received a free upgrade for PlayStation 5 Pro, Super Mario Galaxy became the top movie of the year at the box office, and various updates were released for other popular games.
Recommended products
This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Before creating the explosive action of the Just Cause series, the Swedish studio Avalanche was developing a more ambitious project called Aionguard, envisioned as a medieval version of Just Cause for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. According to Christofer Sundberg, co-founder of the studio (who is currently promoting Samson: A Tyndalston Story), Aionguard would have been similar to Crimson Desert, featuring a sprawling fantasy world with dragons, vast enemy armies, and epic battles. Aionguard placed players in the role of a knight-sorcerer tasked with reclaiming territories from enemy camps. Gameplay would have revolved around conquering bases, severing resources, and recruiting allies, similar to Just Cause 2 but set in a heroic fantasy world. The main character could also perform outlandish feats, such as mounting dragons, freezing giant monsters, and transforming into a 20-meter golem.
However, the project, funded by a major company (linked to Disney Interactive Studios, according to testimonies), shifted strategies midway through development to prioritize existing licenses. According to Sundberg, Avalanche had an agreement with a major publisher who owned many popular licenses, but “they changed their strategy, preferring to focus on their existing franchises rather than new creations. They terminated the contract via text message, which I will never forgive them for.” Avalanche reclaimed the rights and publicly announced the game without a publisher, hoping to attract partners. However, this strategy backfired, as showcasing a project without solid backing scared off potential partners. As a result, Aionguard was abandoned. Sundberg recounts, “They broke off contact with us via SMS.” Edge magazine featured AionGuard after the publisher dropped the project over what it called a “money-driven text splitup.” Shortly after Aionguard’s cancellation, Avalanche began work on Arcadia Rising, an open-world steampunk game set in an alternate London. However, THQ’s financial troubles also led to that game’s cancellation. These setbacks help explain the bitterness Christofer Sundberg expressed regarding the fate of unreleased Avalanche projects. [The following information appears unrelated to the original topic of Aionguard and Avalanche Studios.]
Crimson Desert’s Mixed Reception vs. Pokémon Home Transfers, Cyberpunk Upgrade, Super Mario Galaxy Box Office Win, and More Gaming News
In other gaming news, a new video game called Crimson Desert launched to mixed reviews, with players citing performance issues and disliking the competitive changes. However, Pokémon fans can now transfer their Pokémon from Pokémon Home into the game. Meanwhile, Cyberpunk 2077 received a free upgrade for the PlayStation 5 Pro, improving its performance. Super Mario Galaxy became the top movie of the year at the box office. Sadly, Double Dragon creator Yoshihisa Kishimoto passed away at 64 years old. Obsidian Entertainment added turn-based combat to Pillars of Eternity, giving the game a feel similar to Baldur’s Gate 3. No Man’s Sky also released an update allowing players to battle creatures in multiplayer. Sundberg’s new studio, Liquid Swords, launched the street fighter game Samson on April 8th shortly after Aionguard’s cancellation. Additionally, a prototype for a Mirror’s Edge game was made playable, featuring an intense arm-breaking scene and an opening monologue. No new details were given about the upcoming strategy game Avalanche RTS.
In Case You Missed It
In our previous post, we left you shivering with the psychological horror of being trapped alone in an eerie mansion. But if that experience left you craving more chills, prepare to dive even deeper into the unknown with Marcus Thompson’s latest exploration of cosmic horror, “DREDGE”, published on April 5th. This game takes us on a hauntingly beautiful fishing adventure inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s unsettling tales, filled with treacherous waters, dark secrets lurking beneath the surface, and sanity-shattering creatures that’ll make your heart race DREDGE – Lovecraft and the Fear of the Depths. Meanwhile, in a recent twist of fate in the gaming world, Sophie Laurent’s article “The Tale of the Horror Game that ‘Copy-Pasted’ Nathan Drake’s Face from Uncharted” (April 6th) has sparked quite the controversy. Dive into this intriguing tale of plagiarism and intellectual property mishaps as it unfolds in the first-person horror game, 28 Floors: Outbreak, and don’t miss out on the memes and jokes that have sprung up from this unexpected incident The Tale of the Horror Game that ‘Copy-Pasted’ Nathan Drake’s Face from Uncharted. And finally, Ahmed Hassan brings us thrilling news in “007 First Light Delayed on Nintendo Switch 2”, where Io Interactive has announced a delay for their upcoming Bond game until August or September. Fans can still expect to dive into a globe-trotting spy adventure filled with adrenaline-fueled action and classic 007 gadgets this May, but those gaming on-the-go will need to mark their calendars accordingly 007 First Light Delayed on Nintendo Switch 2.