Avalanche keen on Just Cause 3

Swedish developer Avalanche Studios has just announced a downloadable PC, Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network game called Renegade Ops – its first foray into the digital download space. But does this mean the company has turned its back on big budget games?

Not a chance – in fact it's working on two "huge" licenses due out in 2013.

"I wouldn't say instead of, I would say we'll do both," Renegade Ops senior producer Andreas Thorsén told Eurogamer.

"We will continue to do hardcore triple-A games and downloadable games."

In March last year Avalanche launched the Square Enix-published open world action game Just Cause 2.

Eurogamer enjoyed it very much indeed, awarding an 8/10.

So what about Just Cause 3 then?

"I can't see that Avalanche wouldn't want to continue on the Just Cause series," Thorsén said. "We love that franchise."

Avalanche founder and original concept creator of Just Cause Christofer Sundberg explained to Eurogamer that while the Stockholm-based studio does not own the Just Cause intellectual property, it remains intrinsically linked to it.

"I can't really comment on the future of Just Cause," he said, "but as we created the IP there is an attachment to the studio even though we don't own the IP."

"We are not finished with traditional boxed retail games by far. We have two huge licenses that we work on to be released in 2013.

"Can't say anything about them at this point."

One of those "huge" licenses is thought to be an action game based on the upcoming flick Mad Max 4: Fury Road.

In September last year Eurogamer revealed that God of War II director and writer Cory Barlog was working with Avalanche on an unannounced game.

"I can't comment on the projects we are working on," Sundberg said at the time, "but Cory is working here with us in Stockholm as you have probably read on his Twitter recently."

But what's the other "huge" game?