Avalanche Studios has confirmed that the fictional island of Medici, found somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea, is projected to be around 400 miles long.
The map is so large in scale that game director Roland Lesterlin believes that it is one of the biggest maps ever created. He probably is right as the island has been described as medley of poor and rich towns, each with its own specific function.
According to IGN, the island will be separated into three distinct regions, each with its own flavor and art design. Region 1 has been described as the agricultural section of the islands. Cities in this region will vary in wealth as players will see the strikingly rich towns, as well as the very poor towns. Region 2 has been tagged as the military zone, with military bases and extremely poor fishing towns found in this area. Area 3 is a heavily forested area and mountainous wilderness region. Art director Zach Schlappi describes the area as similar to that of the popular TV show "Game of Thrones."
PC Games N reports that Lesterlin and his team came up with the idea for Medici during a meeting about the game's main villain Rico. Lesterlin states that the island needed to be set up where Rico could get into the air as quickly as possible. The Mediterranean setting came out of the verticality of the area, especially for the area's reputation for steep cliffs and lush forests.
"Just Cause 3" also took a lot from the modding community of the game's predecessor, "Just Cause 2." Lesterlin stated that the massive explosions, impossible stunts and impossible draw distances came from the crazy ideas the fans came up with in the last game. Lesterlin also hopes that the better toolset and physics that will be found in "Just Cause 3" will inspire a new generation of moders to enhance the game even further this time.
"Just Cause 3" is set for release on Dec. 1, 2015, and will also have an unusual contest attached to the launch. Game developer Square Enix will be giving out an island to the winner of the game's first 90-day contest. The player who has the highest score at the end of 90 days will win their own island. According to contest rules, the island can also be traded in for a monetary value of USD $50,000. This probably means that it is an island but not a 400-mile long island like Medici.