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Avatar was announced back in 2017 and is being worked on by Massive Entertainment, Ubisoft's team that you know from their work on The Division franchise.
We've barely heard a peep since then, and it didn't help that Disney in the meantime acquired the right to Avatar. Many simply assumed the project has been shut down, especially since The Division 2 required more attention by Massive, but it turns out it isn't so.
In an interview with Screen Rant, Massive's producer Jesper Karabanov refuted the rumours that it's been shelved, but he was incredibly stingy with additional info.
Asked whether Avatar is still in development, Karabanov replied, "Yes, but I can't speak about it. I can't talk about it."
Okay, so we know it's not been canned but Karabanov's almost frantic reluctance to speak about it may actually be good news. If we're to speculate, we might be approaching some sort of a reveal or sneak peek.
On the other hand, it could be bad news, because Avatar IP changed hands and it might be that Disney's guidelines have changed. That too could explain Karabanov's choice of words, as he doesn't want to discuss development at a time when crucial decisions must be made.
That said, the success of Spider-Man and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order has earned the gaming industry to get creative with Disney's IPs. The company realised that letting creatives do their thing when it comes to original storytelling and reimagining of IPs satisfy both hardcore fans and financial preferences of IP owners, so it's a win-win.
Tom Clancy's The Division 2 to be released in spring of 2019
