Yesterday we received word that the release of Crackdown 3 may have been pushed back once again, this time out of 2018 and into 2019. While the source on the story was strong, there were doubts amongst fans, but today we can finally put those doubts to rest, as Microsoft has confirmed the delay.
In a statement provided to Windows Central, Microsoft confirmed Crackdown 3 will be releasing in February 2019. Also stating that we will see more from the game at their E3 show this Sunday:
“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 Feb 2019. We look forward to sharing more on “Crackdown 3″ this Sunday during the Xbox E3 2018 briefing.”
The statement seems to allude to the game needing extra polish to get it up to the right standard. This is understandable, as Microsoft has a lot at stake with Crackdown 3, with it being one of the few major exclusives currently known about publicly.
Crackdown 3 was announced back in 2014 at E3 and was due for an initial release in 2016. It was since delayed twice more. Last time, it was supposed to release in November as an Xbox One X launch title, but was pushed back to ‘Spring 2018'. Now, we have a February 2019 release date to look forward to instead, which puts the game up against Sony's ‘Days Gone'.
KitGuru Says: Hopefully Crackdown 3 can be the game that kickstarts a great year for Microsoft in terms of exclusives. With that said, I do hope that in the future, someone behind the scenes spills the beans on this game's lengthy, troubled development cycle.