Just Cause studio prepared for Xbox 720 arrivalAvalanche predicts that new hardware will be disc-freeThe studio behind the much-loved Just Cause games has told CVG that it is "prepared" for any sudden announcement of a successor to the Xbox 360.
Microsoft job listings spotted last night pointed to the platform holder working on new hardware - long dubbed by fans as 'Xbox 720'. The firm is
advertising for an engineer to "play a key role in the development and verification of the Xbox and future platforms".
Christofer Sundberg, founder of Swedish studio Avalanche, told CVG that his firm is working on a number of new, non-Just Cause secret projects.
One of these titles is the licensed action game
Sundberg revealed to CVG last year - thought to be based on the
Mad Max franchise.
But if Microsoft announced a new static console tomorrow, would it throw Avalanche's development plan into disarray? No Siree Bob.
When we asked Sundberg if Avalanche was ready for new Microsoft hardware, he said:
"Yeah, absolutely. It's actually quite an interesting subject for us - because when we worked on Just Cause 1, the Xbox 360 came out [at around the same time]. We had to do the 360 version in six months. It's an interesting place again right now, where the projects we're working on today might be coming out on [Microsoft's] next technology."
Sundberg told CVG that Avalanche has a "central engine team" who believe Microsoft is "working on something" - but had seen "nothing confirmed in terms of specs and so on". Despite being in "very close contact" with MS, he reiterated that the platform holder had "confirmed nothing".
He added: "All we can do is guess and try to be as accurate as possible."
Sundberg's confidence in Avalanche's ability to deal with new hardware from Microsoft or Sony is boosted by the architecture of current generation technology. He commented: "Every good games technology these days is so scalable that once a new platform comes out, we feel prepared to deal with it."
Sundberg said that "everyone is speculating" over the timing and technological make-up of both Sony and Microsoft's next console, but opined that "everyone agrees" on one thing: - There will be no optical disc compatibility.
As well as working on his own games, Sundberg will be keeping an eye out for the rumoured Just Cause movie, which is
reportedly on its way to the big screen.