[UPDATE: Sorry Crackdown fans, the teases were for a forthcoming Gears of War game from Black Tusk Studios. Read more about that game here.]
Late last night Microsoft's Phil Spencer sent the Internet reeling when he teased an announcement for the early morning. Unlike a previous tease, which turned out to be directed towards developers, Spencer's message was clearly for gamers, and it got us excited.
With several properties emerging as early candidates for the mysterious game announcement, speculators and industry pundits were off and running — considering every possibility under the sun. But,it wasn't long before a clear frontrunner emerged, thanks in large part to a tease by another developer.
That tease in question came courtesy of Ruffian Games, the same developer responsible for Crackdown 2. Their message, much like Spencer's, teased that an announcement would come before the Monday morning was through.
Morning! Feels like a good day for announcements doesn’t it?
– Ruffian Games (@RuffianGames) January 27, 2014
Although we will have to wait a few hours to confirm our suspicions, the early rumor mill is suggesting that Microsoft's announcement will be a new Crackdown game, likely Crackdown 3. It's been a few years since gamers have seen the super-powered franchise, and now is as good a time as any to reveal a new entry. Well, unless you played Saints Row 4, which was more or less an unofficial Crackdown game.
This isn't the first time that Spencer has teased Crackdown either. In August of last year he name-dropped the Crackdown franchise as one that would make good use of the Xbox One's cloud technology. At the time, however, Spencer seemed to suggest that Ruffian would not be assuming development duties on the next Crackdown. Rather, the Microsoft VP hoped to find a studio with a "nice UK sensibility" to take over the open world series.
Whatever the case, the signs are clearly pointing towards an imminent Crackdown 3 announcement, not just now but in recent months. Despite the misstep that was Crackdown 2, fans have been clamoring for a sequel, and Microsoft has not shied away from that possibility. Granted, when those fans wished for a sequel they likely didn't imagine Ruffian would be involved, but perhaps now that they have a little more familiarity with the franchise they can do right by it with this next game.
Stick tuned to Game Rant for official confirmation regarding this Microsoft announcement.
Are you ready for a next-gen Crackdown? Were you hoping that Microsoft might announce something different? If so, what?
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