Crackdown 3’s multiplayer is already dead; so much for the power of the cloud

Multiplayer components in single player games are a tough sell in a lot of cases. In 2019, why play the less-thought-about multiplayer portions of a much larger game when standalone multiplayer experiences are not only abundant but in many cases, they’re also free.

Crackdown 3 was one such game. An enjoyable, albeit flawed, open world that tacked on a multiplayer mode. Wrecking Zone didn’t just feel like a second thought, it felt like a fifth thought. It barely felt like a thought at all. Which is weird considering the fact that Crackdown 3’s multiplayer, it’s “fully destructible”, “powered-by-the-cloud” portion was a huge focus of the game’s development.

Using Azure, multiplayer in Crackdown 3 was supposed to be a grand, magnificent demonstration on what cloud computing could offer. It offered full destruction—something we wouldn’t see in the finished game—at levels far above what we see in the final product. It even showed off a huge city with buildings colliding with each other. So, what did we get?

Crackdown 3: Wrecking Zone was a disappointing King of the Hill experience set in small, lifeless arenas. Sure, it was far from the original promise, but it had the potential to be a fun time. With the game mode’s apparent emphasis on movement, it could have been great. In execution, it was simply dull and it didn’t even let you party up with friends.

It would appear that everyone else feels the same way. Crackdown 3’s multiplayer is dead—both its King of the Hill and Kill Confirmed style playlists. No one is playing, and I’ve searched after feeling like maybe I should give it a second chance. Even with the power of the cloud, even with its inclusion into Xbox Game Pass, even with its standalone download—no one cares.

After all, why play Crackdown 3: Wrecking Zone when you could be playing Apex Legends, Fortnite, Warface, Warframe PvP (if you’re a crook). I fully expect to never be able to find a full game of Crackdown 3: Wrecking Zone ever again. But, much like everyone else, I don’t think I’m even going to try.

If you want to attempt to play Crackdown 3: Wrecking Zone it is available on Xbox Game Pass. Xbox Game Pass is a fantastic subscription service that costs is just £7.99 or $9.99 a month. It’s a hell of a deal, but it’s also full of games you’d probably rather play instead.