Cancellation of Square Enix Game

Square Enix has officially confirmed the cancellation of Just Cause: Mobile, a game that faced numerous delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project was intended to be the first spin-off of the Just Cause series developed by one of Square Enix's internal teams, rather than Avalanche Studios Group. The beta version of the game will be removed from Google Play, and the iOS version will never be released.

Initially announced in late 2020 with a planned release in 2021, Just Cause: Mobile experienced multiple delays due to the pandemic. An early access version for Android devices was launched in November 2021, but it was limited to Singapore. It later expanded to several countries in Southeast Asia by mid-2022 but did not progress further.

Following the series of delays, Just Cause: Mobile has now been canceled, as confirmed by Square Enix Global Brand Manager Anne-Lou Grosbois-Favreau. In an official statement, she expressed gratitude to the fans for their support and acknowledged that game cancellations are always challenging. The cancellation may not come as a surprise to those who played the early access version, as Square Enix had already refunded all in-game purchases earlier this year.

The version history of Just Cause: Mobile indicates that the project's cancellation was not a sudden decision. The Google Play page for the preview version reveals that the last update was made in mid-December 2022. Typically, early access titles receive regular updates, making it evident that Just Cause: Mobile had been in a precarious position since at least last year.

The decision to cancel Just Cause: Mobile may have been influenced by Square Enix's recent financial struggles. The company reported declining sales in February and subsequently announced various efforts to consolidate resources, including the absorption of Luminous Productions, the developer of Forspoken, in May.

The cancellation of Just Cause: Mobile does not necessarily impact the future of the franchise itself. Square Enix had already hinted at the development of Just Cause 5 in mid-2022 and assured investors that the long-running series was not part of the $300 million deal with Embracer Group, which involved the sale of some Western studios and IPs to the Swedish holding company.