Originally announced all the way back at E3 2014, to say that Crackdown 3 has been a long time coming would be one hell of an understatement.
But before the game officially launches on February 15 for Xbox One and PC, we got the chance to sit down with Joseph Staten – Creative Director at Microsoft Studios, and Jorg Neumann – Head of Production at Microsoft Studios Publishing.
In one sentence, what is your elevator pitch for a complete newcomer coming into Crackdown 3?
Joseph: Crackdown 3 marks the return of a beloved Xbox franchise, bringing together all the elements that made it a fan-favourite: an over-the-top physics sandbox, pulpy comic-book inspired tone, super-heroic skills and hyper-agile, vertical gameplay – as well as an incredible new multiplayer mode called Wrecking Zone that utilises Azure cloud to enable full destruction in a way that’s never been done before.
See Crackdown 3 in action
What do you think it is about the Crackdown series that has turned it into almost a cult favourite among fans?
Jorg: Crackdown is a series about having as much fun as possible, providing as much flexibility as possible. More and more games are pushing players to experience a specific vision or experience; Crackdown is a throwback in some ways where you are completely free in choosing how to best tackle the world.
Love Gaming?
Get the latest Gaming news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
In Crackdown 3, you can choose to head straight to the final tower as soon as you load the game. You might not get that far though!
How much of Crackdown’s success do you attribute to the original game containing Halo 3’s multiplayer beta? Do you believe it would have penetrated as many homes as it did, just at a slower clip?
Jorg: Being attached to Halo 3 absolutely helped expose Crackdown to a huge audience! One of the big challenges new IP face is name recognition, and there was no bigger game than Halo 3 in 2007.
Crackdown 3 has faced a number of delays. Obviously if a project isn’t up to scratch you want to hold it back, but what is the fall back of that kind of decision. Is it an easy decision or one met with much discussion?
Joseph: For Crackdown 3, we set out with a technical goal of utilising cloud computing to enable fully destructible environments – and frankly it took time to build that technology.
It’s never easy to delay a game, but everyone working on Crackdown 3 was laser-focused on landing the tech as well as a gameplay experience that was true to Crackdown’s signature, over-the-top style. Achieving these two goals just took longer than we thought.
It’s been admitted that Crackdown 3’s cloud-powered multiplayer is a big reason for some of those delays. In hindsight, do you regret being so ambitious with it?
Jorg: Being ambitious and bringing something brand new like cloud-powered destruction to gaming is what being First Party is all about.
I think that for many players, when they load their first match of Wrecking Zone and see the sheer amount of destruction that is capable thanks to Azure cloud – it is going to be an “a ha!” moment.
We’re incredibly thankful for all the support and patience fans have given us and we’re very happy to say that we are delivering on that goal for Crackdown 3.
Open-world games are becoming increasingly prevalent as the years go on. What do you think are the crucial characteristics that you need to ensure yours is unique?
Joseph: The Crackdown series really helped establish some of the hallmarks of open-world design, and anyone who has played the previous games will see that DNA in Crackdown 3.
I think Crackdown 3 stands out in particular thanks to the amount of flexibility players have – you pick what skills you want to level-up, what bosses you want to tackle and in what order you want to do so.
Crackdown 3 has a completely non-linear open-world, and that includes the story. If you want to go straight for the final boss right out of the gate, go for it!
Climbing her skyscraper and beating her crack troops as a low-level Agent will definitely be a challenge, but there’s nothing stopping you from trying!
In a world where Fortnite dominates the multiplayer landscape, what do you hope keeps players engaged with Crackdown 3’s multiplayer?
Joseph: Crackdown 3’s Wrecking Zone offers a level of destruction that has never been possible for in previous games, thanks to Azure cloud. I think players will literally have a blast and we can’t wait to see everyone at launch.
Crackdown has had somewhat of a spotted past. Do you hope that in time you can build it to the level of a Halo or a Gears?
Jorg: Those are some big names to live up to! For Crackdown 3 – our first and foremost goal is delivering on a game that Crackdown fans will love. We also want to welcome new players to the franchise so that they too can step up their boom!
Watch Crackdown 3‘s E3 2017 trailer
What is your favourite feature of the game?
Jorg: Azure cloud-powered destruction tops the list – it is definitely the most explosive and flashiest part of Crackdown 3!
Joseph: I’m also very excited about the ways we’ve been pushing the story of the campaign – we’ve created an immersive comic book style narrative that will help frame the world of Crackdown 3 and make sure players aren’t too overwhelmed.
Like the rest of the game, Crackdown 3’s story doesn’t take itself too seriously. The characters are fun, comic-book inspired, larger-than-life personalities – and that includes Terry Crews as one of our playable Agent characters, Commander Jaxon.
If you could have one super skill yourself, what would it be?
Joseph: Maximum Agility, for sure. The ability to run and jump incredible distances would definitely cut down on my work commute!
You can pre-order Crackdown 3 here.
