Avalanche Studios

Swedish independent AAA developer and publisher based in Stockholm, creators of the Just Cause series and theHunter: Call of the Wild (via Expansive Worlds division) and the Xbox-partnered Contraband (via Systemic Reaction). Site ©2026: recent stories include Game Jam 2026, a new Scotland Hunting Reserve for theHunter: CotW, an update on Contraband, an update on the Liverpool studio, and entry into a collective bargaining agreement; hiring for an unannounced AAA open-world title on the proprietary Apex engine. Prior years saw Montreal and New York office closures and layoffs (per gamesindustry.biz/Wikipedia).

• Type: Developer · Buyer
• Headquarters: Sweden
• Data updated: 15 Nov 2026

Key facts

• According to Games Atlas analysis of shipped-game credits, Avalanche Studios published or developed 9 games released 2010–2022 (+2 as distributor or contractor).
• Games Atlas data shows 6 of 9 Avalanche Studios titles with known production credits (67%) used external service partners.
• The most frequent external partner on Avalanche Studios titles is Keywords Studios (5 shared credits, 2015–2023).
• Games Atlas tracked 7 news stories about Avalanche Studios in the last 24 months.

What Avalanche Studios outsources and how open it is to new partners

The verdict rates how hard it is for a new vendor to win work in each discipline: how much of the work goes to outside vendors rather than staying inside, whether the same partners come back or change from project to project, and how often first-time partners got in over recent years.

• Art, assets and fonts production services: Open: partners change from project to project. Sourcing model: spread across many vendors (6 vendors per title, typical 3). 5 of 5 titles with detailed credits since 2015 used an external partner (100%); 22 external partners, 6 of them returning (100% of outsourced titles), most often Keywords Studios (60%). Small base: a first signal, not a settled pattern.
• Audio design and production services: Open: partners change from project to project. Sourcing model: spread across many vendors (4 vendors per title, typical 1.8). 5 of 5 titles with detailed credits since 2015 used an external partner (100%); 17 external partners, 2 of them returning (60% of outsourced titles), most often Pole Position Production (60%). Small base: a first signal, not a settled pattern.
• QA and testing services: Full breakdown available to registered members.
• Casting services: Full breakdown available to registered members.
• Localisation services: Full breakdown available to registered members.
• Motion capture services: Full breakdown available to registered members.
• Trailers, cinematics and cut-scenes Production services: Full breakdown available to registered members.
• Additional development & engineering: Full breakdown available to registered members.
• Lead & co-development: Full breakdown available to registered members.

Members-only data, free account. The full sourcing breakdown for Avalanche Studios is available to registered Games Atlas members. Registration is free. After sign-in, the page shows for QA and testing services, Casting services, Localisation services, Motion capture services, Trailers, cinematics and cut-scenes Production services, Additional development & engineering, Lead & co-development: share of titles outsourced, number of external partners, the largest vendors and their share, new partners in recent years, and how open each discipline is to new vendors, plus 35 more external partners. Create a free account.

External partners proven by shipped credits

• Keywords Studios — Art, assets and fonts production services, Audio design and production services, Casting services, Additional development & engineering, Localisation services, QA and testing services, 5 shared credits, 2015–2023
• Virtuos — Art, assets and fonts production services, 5 shared credits, 2010–2023
• Pole Position Production — Audio design and production services, 4 shared credits, 2015–2019
• Mood Visuals — Art, assets and fonts production services, 3 shared credits, 2018–2023
• Pole To Win Holdings — Art, assets and fonts production services, QA and testing services, 3 shared credits, 2018–2023

Latest related news

• Avalanche Studios Group signs publishing deal to distribute Supermassive Games titles, consolidating Nordisk's portfolio (2026-10-09)
• Ubisoft installs Spotify-honed operator Natalie Francis as Massive CEO (2026-09-24)
• Supermassive cuts up to 75 roles in third layoff round; Nordisk portfolio under parallel stress (2026-08-11)
• Xbox pulls Project Fantasy support, exposing funding risk for independent AAA studios (2026-06-30)
• Supermassive Games CEO Robert Henrysson exits with no successor named, third leadership change in two years (2026-06-29)
• Avalanche Studios' prototyping model turns R&D into risk control after serial underperformance (2026-03-10)
• Liquid Swords review: Sundberg's lean AAA pipeline resets scope discipline for Samson (2026-02-25)

Group structure

• Expansive Worlds (Publisher and Developer)

Methodology

Source: Games Atlas (gamesatlas.app), based on MobyGames production credits and Games Atlas analysis; the sourcing figures cover work credited on releases from 2015 onwards. One game counts once regardless of platforms, editions or add-ons. Games Atlas does not estimate revenue or report the performance of individual games. Profile: https://gamesatlas.app/companies/avalanche-studios