Square Enix appears to have confirmed the existence of a new Just Cause game. In an investor briefing document released today, the company announces that a new title in the crazy open-world franchise is in development, although we don't have an official public-facing annoucement yet.
Could this new game be Just Cause 5?
After Square Enix sold off some of its development studios to Embracer Group last month, the studio confirmed it would continue to publish properties like Life Is Strange and Just Cause. Now, it looks like we have further confirmation of that assertion. Today, Square Enix released an investor briefing it held back in May, during which chief accounting officer Atsushi Matsuda and president Yosuke Matsuda discussed the company's financial fortunes. In that briefing, Atsushi Matsuda reaffirms that the Just Cause franchise will remain under Square Enix's control and that the studio is "at work developing a new title in the franchise".
Of course, we don't actually know that Just Cause 5 is what the new game will be called, nor do we know that it's definitely a mainline installment in the franchise. This announcement could well be referring to Just Cause Mobile, which was revealed at the 2020 Game Awards. If that's the case, though, then Square Enix is being unnecessarily cagey by referring to the game simply as "a new title in the franchise" given that Just Cause Mobile already has a name. All signs point to a major new Just Cause title, but we will, of course, have to wait and see what Square Enix has up its sleeve.
What is Just Cause, and why would a new game be exciting?
Just Cause is a madcap open-world franchise known for its emphasis on large-scale destruction. The original Just Cause was released in 2006 and was a relatively sober experience, but the franchise leant more and more into its over-the-top elements as it went on. This culminated in 2018's Just Cause 4, which wasn't particularly well-received (but which we liked just fine). Since then, the series has been relatively quiet except for the announcement of Just Cause Mobile, which was delayed in 2021 and is now set to release in 2022.
While it's certainly true that the Just Cause games can feel a little repetitive at times, there's nothing quite like this franchise for blowing a lot of stuff up and cackling while chaos ensues around you. If you love the idea of an open world in which the objective is to destroy pretty much everything, then a potential Just Cause 5 should have you excited. Could this be one of the games we hear about during the upcoming Summer Game Fest? Stay tuned to TechRaptor to find out, and in the meantime, make sure to check out Just Cause 4 on Steam if you're after some wanton mayhem.