Square Enix Pulls The Plug On Just Cause Mobile

In an unfortunate twist of events, the gaming magnate, Square Enix, has called off the much-anticipated Just Cause: Mobile, and the beta will be promptly evicted from Google Play. This nixed project marked an ambitious foray; it was the debut Just Cause spin-off not forged in the fires of Avalanche Studios Group, but instead shaped by Square Enix’s in-house team. Alas, the iOS counterpart of the game will now remain an elusive dream.

Just Cause Mobile: The Spin-off That Got Spun Out

The initial proclamation of Just Cause: Mobile came in the final chapter of 2020, aimed for a grand unveiling in 2021. Yet, the gaming endeavour found itself besieged by a cascade of setbacks, with COVID-19 bearing down like a bitter antagonist.

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The game behemoth from Japan did manage to release an early-access version of Just Cause: Mobile for Android smartphones and tablets in November 2021. Still, this was a soft launch confined to the sunny shores of Singapore. The sneak-peek trickled into a handful of Southeast Asian nations by mid-2022, but the game’s journey ended there.

Now, with a trail of delays dogging its path, Just Cause: Mobile has been axed, according to VGC. Square Enix Global Brand Manager, Anne-Lou Grosbois-Favreau, confirmed the cancellation. Gratitude was expressed to the game’s steadfast supporters, and Grosbois-Favreau noted that dropping the axe on a game is “never a picnic.” This news may not rattle the gaming community, given that anyone who engaged with the early-access version of Just Cause: Mobile has already received a refund for all in-game purchases as of February 24th, she affirmed.

Square Enix’s Financial Struggles

Scrutinising the version history of Just Cause: Mobile adds to the evidence that the game’s demise wasn’t a spontaneous decision. The still-active Google Play page indicates that the game’s early-access version last received an update in December 2022. In the gaming world, early-access games usually see regular care, with updates often sprinkled throughout each month or even week. So, even though Square Enix has officially yanked the plug on Just Cause: Mobile, it seems the project had been teetering on the brink since the close of last year.

Square Enix’s decision to cancel Just Cause: Mobile likely has roots in the company’s recent economic turbulence. Square Enix divulged a concerning slump in sales back in February, which catalysed a series of resource consolidation moves, including the decision to incorporate Forspoken creator, Luminous Productions, in May.

However, fans of the Just Cause franchise need not mourn just yet. Square Enix suggested the development of Just Cause 5 as early as mid-2022. The company has reassured stakeholders that this beloved series is not part of the $300 million agreement with Embracer Group, which recently saw Square Enix offload several of its Western studios and IPs to the Swedish holding company.

Source: VGC