Crackdown 3 was definitely one of the highlights of Microsoft's Gamescom 2015 Media Briefing, with its unprecedented destructible environments powered by cloud technology.
Even as we reported it a couple of days ago, an implication seemed to be obvious - in order to access the "power of the cloud", gamers have to be connected online, which is fine for multiplayer. However, where does that leave a campaign that needs to be playable offline as well?
Pretty much stripped of most of the destruction, apparently. This was confirmed a few hours ago by Videogamer's David Scammell, who reported the words of Game Director Dave Jones in a series of tweets.
"Campaign is fully playable offline, up to 4-players when you're online in co-op. Then multiplayer is a whole new experience.” - Dave Jones
— Dave Scammell (@VG_Dave) August 6, 2015
“We do not use that [cloud processing] in the campaign game. We wanted to create a very different experience for multiplayer.” - Dave Jones
— Dave Scammell (@VG_Dave) August 6, 2015
“We wanted players to have the campaign game they always loved, and if they want to play it offline then they absolutely should be able to."
— Dave Scammell (@VG_Dave) August 6, 2015
"Obviously they have to go online for co-op but that's still the same campaign game.”
“The 100% destructible environments is limited to MP"— Dave Scammell (@VG_Dave) August 6, 2015
While disappointing at first if you had already imagined a fully destructible campaign map, it is also understandable. In the campaign, players will control an Agent (this time they'll also be able to play as a female one, by the way) who is trying to keep the city safe from crime; it would be quite weird to destroy half of it in the process.
Online co-op is clearly tied by the same bounds since it happens in the very same map. Multiplayer, though, will be a completely different experience, and this even includes the playable map; another interesting tidbit is that Sumo DIgital is helping with the game's development.
It's also being co-developed by Sumo Digital. Multiplayer map is completely different to single-player map
— Dave Scammell (@VG_Dave) August 6, 2015
It seems fair to assume that this multiplayer mode will be competitive instead of cooperative. If you're still a bit sad about this news, rest assured that everyone who's checking Crackdown 3 at Gamescom 2015 is speaking highly of the multiplayer destruction - you can check out why in the video presentation we've embedded below.
Crackdown 3's cloud tech is phenomenal. Probably the most impressive thing I've seen at the show.
— Dave Scammell (@VG_Dave) August 6, 2015
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.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
