[UPDATE]
Microsoft has confirmed the rumors to Windows Central and provided the following statement:
Our fans' response to the signature antics and explosive gameplay of "Crackdown 3" has been incredible. To ensure we deliver the experience they deserve, "Crackdown 3" will be launching in February 2019. We look forward to sharing more on "Crackdown 3" this Sunday during the Xbox E3 2018 briefing.
[ORIGINAL STORY]
The third game in the Crackdown franchise has had a troubled development time, to say the least. Originally announced at E3 2014, it was first said to be scheduled to launch in 2016; then that date was changed to coincide with the Xbox One X launch (November 7th, 2017).
However, the developers needed even more time after a fairly weak E3 2017 showing and the game was delayed to Spring 2018. Now Spring is about to end, too, and we haven't heard a peep from the developers since; furthermore, Kotaku today is reporting anonymous sources which confirmed that yet another delay is coming. Crackdown 3 should now ship sometime next year. This would be another significant blow to Microsoft's first-party 2018 lineup. We know they're about to announce Forza Horizon 4 at E3 but other than that, there are no other planned exclusives this year.
Due to be available on both Windows 10 PC and Xbox One as part of the Xbox Play Anywhere program, Crackdown 3 is being developed by Sumo Digital, Reagent Games and Ruffian Games.
Time to step up your boom and stop crime as a super-powered Agent in Crackdown 3's sandbox of mayhem and destruction. Explore the heights of a futuristic city, race through the streets in a transforming vehicle, and use your powerful abilities to stop a ruthless criminal empire. Crackdown 3 delivers cooperative mayhem and an all-new multiplayer mode where destruction is your ultimate weapon powered by Microsoft Cloud.
Skills
Level up your super-Agent skills to jump over skyscrapers, hurl trucks at your enemies and fight like a boss.
Dangerous open-world playground
Play with up to four friends over Xbox Live to take out a violent criminal empire and use the city as a weapon against your enemies.
Crime claps back
Lure vindictive crime lords out of their strongholds by roughing up their street soldiers, attacking criminal operations and taking out high-value gang captains.
Boom goes the dynamite
Join with up to 10 agents online to tear the city apart piece by piece in a 100% destructible multiplayer arena, available with your purchase of Crackdown 3.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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