Mon, Dec 08, 2008 | 08:46 GMT

Microsoft drops major hint on Crackdown sequel

crackdown2.jpg

Microsoft’s given a less than subtle hint that a sequel to Realtime World’s beloved open-city 360 shooter, Crackdown, is a little more than fantasy.

“I’m here to tell you on behalf of the community, I want – we need – another Crackdown,” Xbox Live’s director of programming, Larry Hryb, told MGS boss Phil Spencer in the latest Major Nelson podcast.

“That’s all I’m going to say, so you don’t have to confirm for deny anything. I’m just saying we want it.”

“Yes, Crackdown’s one of my favourites,” said Spencer. “I’ll leave it at that.”

A sequel to Crackdown never materialized as “the numbers just didn’t add up,” we were told by Realtime Worlds studio boss Colin Macdonald told us this summer.

Macdonald himself said at the time that the studio was open to negotiations on a second game.

“I don’t think the door’s closed,” he said. “Obviously, right now we’re tied up with APB and everything else, but hopefully in the future we’ll have the resource and something can be worked out with Microsoft.”

Crackdown, a first-party Microsoft game, shipped in February 2007 to general critical acclaim.

18 comment-trail-alt Posted in: Action, Hot, Microsoft, Shooter, Xbox 360
Tags: , , , ,

18 comments

#1

morriss
08/12/08, 8:47 am

Finally, now announce it and get on with it.

#2

evilashchris
08/12/08, 9:14 am

Oh gosh yes, the original sold me my 360 after an hour on it in a friends house.

#3

Truk
08/12/08, 9:29 am

First-party? MS don’t own RTW do they? Do you mean second-party?

/splitting hairs

The first one of these games is on my reasons-to-buy-a-360 list, so adding another reason would be good for me. :-)

#4

Blerk
08/12/08, 9:44 am

What about fixing the original to work with HDD install while we’re waiting?

#5

patlike
08/12/08, 9:45 am

“First-party” just means it was published by Microsoft. RTW is an independent, you’re right.

#6

No_PUDding
08/12/08, 10:13 am

And that is where the term 2nd party comes in. Especially since I don’t think that Microsoft own the IP, jusdging by what the Real Time Worlds man said.

And isn’t APB miles off yet? If Crackdown 2 is comng it’s not next year.

#7

Withnail
08/12/08, 10:19 am

First party means it was developed and published by the platform holder.

Second party means the development was carried out by a separate company funded by the platform holder, who publish the game and usually own the IP. Crackdown, Gears, Resistance, these fall into this category.

Third party means the platform holder had no involvement in either development or publishing.

#8

Blerk
08/12/08, 10:20 am

There have been rumblings about Take Two buying RTW and turning APB into GTA Online. That’d probably scupper any Crackdown 2 deal in the process, so Microsoft had better get their arses in gear just in case. :-D

#9

No_PUDding
08/12/08, 10:30 am

Thanks Withnail…….

I certainly didn’t need to be condescended all over.

#10

deftangel
08/12/08, 11:25 am

Crackdown was awesome but being stuck on 499 orbs broke my heart!

#11

GordonR
08/12/08, 11:41 am

@Blerk

That’s old news – six months ago, or more. It’s not happening.

#12

No_PUDding
08/12/08, 11:59 am

It was good from what I played.

But it still had problems a sequel could sort out.

#13

onyxbox
08/12/08, 12:06 pm

I loved Crackdown… it was a real surprise hit for me.

#14

Gamoc
08/12/08, 12:25 pm

Oh God, now I’m gonna have to get a 360. Damn you VG247!

[Is secretly happy]

#15

Truk
08/12/08, 1:19 pm

Nevermind. Everyone else already said it.

#16

Blerk
08/12/08, 1:23 pm

I know it’s an old rumour, Gordon, but I’ve specifically heard it mentioned again in the last few weeks in a couple of places. Which is why I brought it up.

#17

mightyhokie
08/12/08, 3:27 pm

The numbers were less than stellar because the game was pushed as ‘a wrapper for the Halo 3 demo’. It was far from shovelware for sure. I really, really liked it. I think that since it’s release the buzz was ‘man this game is really cool’, sort of like Family Guy getting canceled (although the show has jumped the shark this year imho).

I feel sure that a sequel will outsell the first one. I’ll get it, at least.

#18

Gamoc
08/12/08, 3:37 pm

I’ll get a 360 for it.

Leave a Reply