Crackdown (Xbox 360) IPO Announced

Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT) Crackdown for the Xbox 360 will debut on the simExchange on Wednesday, January 24, 2007. It will be categorized under the Action genre. Shares will open for purchase at 160 DKP (forecasts 1.6 million copies sold worldwide over lifetime). The release for this game is scheduled for February 20, 2007 in North America, February 22, 2007 in Japan, and February 23, 2007 in Europe. The listing was submitted by sonaive. The game's page is found here. The summary of the game is:

Crackdown (known as "Riot Act" in Japan) is a new open-ended open-roaming urban game exclusive for the Xbox 360. The game is developed by Real Time Worlds and the team includes David Jones who helped create Lemmings and the original Grand Theft Auto game. The game can be played in single-player mode or co-op over Xbox Live. Crackdown features the Havok physics engine.

Rather than playing an aspiring criminal like in similar open-ended urban games, the player takes the role of a super cop endowed with special abilities. The setting is the near future where traditional law enforcement has failed and the Agency has taken over security in Pacific City. Pacific City is built on a series of islands that are controlled by three gangs: your traditional street gang known as the Los Muertos, a disciplined militia known as the Volk, and the evil Shai-Gen Corporation, a government created defense research entity.

There are five areas in which you can develop your character: firearms, driving, explosives, agility, and strength. For example, your character gains experience points in firearms for shooting guns. You gain agility experience by attaining Agility Orbs that require some acrobatic/athletic feat to acquire. Leveling your agility will allow you to run faster, jump higher, and eventually traverse the city by jumping from rooftop-to-rooftop. You level your driving skill by performing stunts. Increasing your strength will allow you to throw people and later cars.

You can build up an arsenal that can be easily accessed throughout the City by securing Agency Supply Points. These areas allow you to teleport to other Supply Points, regenerate health, and restocks your weapons. Any weapon you bring to a Supply Point will be replicated in the future at all your Supply Points.