CrimeCraft
A free-to-play MMO shooter set in a lawless near-future world.
CrimeCraft was a free-to-play online persistent world shooter from Ukrainian developer Vogster Entertainment, with retail publishing by THQ. It took place in a near-future world of anarchy where gangs had replaced governments, and was marketed as a "PWNS" (Persistent World Next-generation Shooter). The game was shut down on August 31, 2017.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Vogster Entertainment
- Publisher
- THQ Inc.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 3
- Released
- August 25, 2009
- Modes
- Multiplayer
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows
Facts from the source article.
Overview
CrimeCraft was released at retail through an exclusive deal with Best Buy and THQ in the United States and Canada, and online worldwide, on August 25, 2009. In late October 2009, the game received its first major patch, which introduced an unlimited free trial. Regular updates followed, adding content and fixing launch bugs, with community input influencing future updates. Vogster released two expansions. The first, Bleedout, arrived in autumn 2010 and featured a campaign broken into weekly episodes over ten weeks, each with missions and comic-book-style art. A reputation system, new items and clothing, and a reworked style were among its additions. Vogster partnered with American comic book company Archaia to produce Bleedout: The Graphic Novel, with each chapter illustrated by a different artist. The second expansion, CrimeCraft GangWars, was released in winter 2011 and introduced Quickplay Mode, the La Famiglia Compound map, Core Annihilation mode, and Territory Wars.
Gameplay
CrimeCraft combined role-playing elements with an MMO environment centered on gang warfare. A large persistent city served as the game's lobby, where players could form gangs, accept missions, buy weapons, and interact via chat and item bartering. Players could also join groups or gangs, the latter equivalent to guilds or clans. Non-player characters throughout the three lobbies offered items for purchase or quests. Crafting allowed players to create weapons, clothing, and drugs. A wide array of abilities and equipment each had different pros and cons. Instanced battles, where the shooter aspect took place, typically split two teams into groups of eight. Game modes included Turf War, where teams fought for control of five points; Core Annihilation, a hybrid of PvP and PvE requiring teams to destroy the opposing team's core while fighting bots; Assault, Capture, and Defend, in which teams captured a randomly appearing core and then defended it; and Snatch N' Grab, a capture-the-flag variant. Other features included questing, achievements, and gang hideouts.
Reception
CrimeCraft was heavily criticized for its business model after launch. The developer changed the model from a box purchase with subscription fee and microtransactions to an unlimited free trial, and later to a free-to-play model with upgrades via subscriptions and microtransactions. On November 30, 2009, the game was refused classification in Australia by the Classification Board due to its use of drugs as incentives or rewards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who published CrimeCraft?
CrimeCraft was published by THQ Inc.
What platforms is CrimeCraft available on?
CrimeCraft was released for Microsoft Windows.
What engine does CrimeCraft use?
CrimeCraft runs on Unreal Engine 3.
Is CrimeCraft single-player or multiplayer?
CrimeCraft offers multiplayer play.
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