Sega, Just Cause Developer Avalanche Reveal Downloadable Renegade Ops

Swedish developer Avalanche Studios today announced Renegade Ops, a co-operative shooter that will be available exclusively as a digital download for Xbox Live Arcade, PSN and the PC later this year. Described by a GamePro preview tease as a vehicular combat throwback to classic titles like G.I. Joe and EA's Strike series, Renegade Ops will include both two-player split-screen and four-player online co-operative play. Though Avalanche is best known for the Eidos-published, expansive, open-world destruction Just Cause series, Avalanche says Renegade Ops has a more limited scale to it. "A number of developers in the studio wanted to try developing a smaller digital project, so we gathered a team, built a new IP and Sega gave us the opportunity to carry this out," said senior producer Andreas Thorsen in a statement. "The IP is all about driving or flying around blowing stuff up while playing with your friends and that to us, is a dream-project." The title also represents the first original IP published by Sega exclusively as a digital download. "It has been a great opportunity to work with a team as successful as Avalanche Studios," said Sega VP of digital business Haruki Satomi. Last year, Avalanche founded online focused casual development studio Expansive Worlds shortly after acquiring the rights to browsers based The Hunter from publisher Emote Games.