You Can't Play Crackdown 3's Multiplayer Mode With Friends At Launch, Microsoft Confirms

Crackdown 3's release date is nearly here, but an already troubled development doesn't appear to be getting any easier for Microsoft. The publisher has confirmed to GameSpot that playing Crackdown 3 multiplayer with friends will not be possible when the game launches on February 15.

"Players will soon be able to take full advantage of the Xbox platform's Party features so they can experience the fully destructible environments in Crackdown 3 Wrecking Zone with friends," a Microsoft spokesperson stated. "We are always looking for ways to improve our fans' experience, and party functionality will be enabled with an upcoming title update along with our soon to be announced post-launch content."

Wrecking Zone is the name of Crackdown 3's multiplayer segment, which was recently available in beta for Xbox Insiders--this is when the inability to invite friends was discovered.

Our Crackdown 3 review-in-progress tackles the game's campaign, which we found to be a disappointment. "Delays can be a positive thing, offering developers time to refine and polish a game," writes critic Chris Pereira. "In other cases, it can result in what feels like a dated experience. At least in terms of its campaign--we don't have access to the Wrecking Zone multiplayer mode yet--Crackdown 3 firmly falls in the latter category, offering some amusement but little in the way of interesting new ideas or fun things to do. It's large and bombastic, with plenty of chaos and collateral damage, but few redeeming values--like a video game version of Man of Steel."

If you're a subscriber to Game Pass, you'll have access to Crackdown 3 on its release day, February 15--along with a raft of other games this month. If you're not a member, you can sign up and play Crackdown 3 for only $1. For more, check out the full Xbox One Game Pass lineup for February.