The release of Crackdown 3 has now officially been pushed back to spring 2018. Developed by Reageant Games and Sumo Digital, the third entry in the open-world action-adventure franchise published by Microsoft Studios was first announced at E3 2014. Serving as the third follow-up to the original Xbox 360 exclusive title, the new game will allow returning players to destroy everything in the production's massive metropolitan environment.

Originally scheduled for release in 2016, Crackdown 3 was subsequently pushed back to November 7, 2017 - the same day as the hotly anticipated Xbox One X launch. Going so far as to rope in franchise royalty David Jones - who was the creator of the original Crackdown - to work on the latest installment behind the scenes, things were looking up for longtime fans of the vertical action platformer. Unfortunately, the wait for Crackdown 3 is about to get a little longer.

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As reported by Polygon, Crackdown 3 will not be reaching store shelves until spring 2018. The move to remove the new game from its list of Xbox One X launch titles was reportedly made in order to further refine the title's visual polish and 4K hardware. Speaking to the decision to push back the release date yet again, Microsoft Studios Publishing General Manager, Shannon Loftis, had the following to say:

"We’re very excited about Crackdown 3, and so are many fans, and so it’s a difficult call to move the release date. However, we want to make sure to deliver the right game, with the right quality, and at the right time. Crackdown 3 is a hugely ambitious game and we want to ensure we deliver the right experiences all the way through every part of the game, whether that’s campaign, co-op multiplayer, or our competitive multiplayer mode, Wrecking Zone. Getting the balance right between the three modes is important, and we are going to take the extra development time to ensure that. Gamers can expect Crackdown 3 in spring of 2018."

It will undoubtedly be a bit of let down for fans of the series that Crackdown 3 will not be available to play right away with the other high-profile Xbox One X launch titles - most notably including Cuphead, Forza Motorsport 7, and Super Lucky's Tale. But with any luck, all of the kinks that are holding the game back will soon be definitively addressed .

The original Crackdown received critical praise and several awards for its innovative open-world gameplay in 2007. Unfortunately, series creator Jones was shut out during the development of Crackdown 2 from 2010, leaving many players eager to see a true return to form for the franchise. Crackdown 3 may yet prove to be the sequel that fans have been waiting for, but they will have to wait until 2018 to find out.

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Crackdown 3 arrives on PC and Xbox One X in spring 2018.

Source: Polygon