Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has acquired and re-opened Avalanche Software to produce the Cars 3 video game according to a press release.
Avalanche Software (not to be confused with Avalanche Studios, developers of the Just Cause games) originally formed as an independent studio before being acquired as a Disney subsidiary. In their time with Disney, Avalanche Software produced licensed Disney titles such as Cars 2: The Video Game and Hannah Montana: Spotlight World Tour. Arguably, their largest project was Disney Infinity which was canceled in May of 2016. Following the cancellation of further development of the game, the Disney Infinity Gold Collection bundle showed up on Steam. Cancellation of this title led to the closure of Avalanche Software.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has since revived Avalanche Software with the purpose of producing a Cars 3 video game to coincide with the upcoming film of the same name currently in production by Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures. Additionally, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has obtained the rights to the Octane engine technology developed by Avalanche Software for the purpose of using it for the development of the Cars 3 video game. According to Gamespot, while Warner Bros. refused to provide a headcount, the studio is employing over 100 people; previously Avalanche had over 300 when it was with Disney.
Disney•Pixar Cars 2: The Video Game (developed by Avalanche Software) is on Steam and has around 10,000 owned copies according to Steam Spy. While the title isn't particularly popular on Steam - it's just above the 6,640 owners of a median Steam game - the Cars franchise has proven to be a financial powerhouse with over $1 billion in revenue generated to date at the box office alone. This figure doesn't include tie-in merchandise such as toys, clothing, and video games.
The Cars 3 film is expected to open in Summer 2017, so Avalanche Software will have their work cut out for them. Fortunately, they'll be able to leverage their experience with the previous Cars title and other Disney•Pixar properties. John Blackburn, former Senior Vice President and General Manager of Disney Infinity, has been brought on board to helm the project. No release date has been announced for the Cars 3 video game, but it's likely to come out sometime near the release of the film.
What do you think of Avalanche Software being revived to work on the Cars 3 video game? Do you feel that Disney Infinity was shuttered too early? Are you looking forward to seeing Cars 3? Let us know in the comments below!
