Just as we promised, more Crackdown 2 details for you to sink your teeth into — Microsoft and Ruffian Games have recently announced that Crackdown’s sequel will in fact include both cooperative and competitive multiplayer, a feature that was absent from the first title.

They also say that “you and your friends with the complete freedom to explore, destroy and play as you return to restore justice and peace to Pacific City – by any means necessary.” Soun

Expect Crackdown 2 to hit store shelves sometime in 2010.

Read (Kotaku)

It seems that a game studio founded by developers working on Fable II, Crackdown and GTA entitled Ruffian Games, has announced their expansion. 

The infant game studio will expand their employee base by 15 but still are unable to let the world know what they are working on. Joystiq quoted Ruffian exec Gaz Liddion as saying “Now we’re in full production, we’re itching to share the fantastic work these guys have been producing,” going on to say that the announcement “won’t bee to far away”.

Hmm, I wonder what the project could be? Crackdown 2 anyone?

It was recently announced that Take Two executive Gary Dale has taken the seat as Realtime Worlds new CEO. If you’re not familiar with Realtime Worlds, you may be familiar with its debut title Crackdown; you know, the game that came with a Halo 3 multiplayer beta key? Yeah, that one.

Co-founder and creative director of Realtime Worlds, David Jones, had this to say about Mr. Dale:

“Having worked with Gary earlier in his career at BMG Interactive, I am deeply impressed with his management style and profound understanding of the entertainment business. As RTW transitions from being a traditional developer to an online publisher I could not be happier that Gary will lead us through this exciting phase of our growth.”

The real growth we will see from Realtime Worlds, however, is with their upcoming GTA-esque MMO All Points Bulletin.

Press release after the break.

Realtime Worlds Names Leading Video Game Industry
Executive Gary Dale as new CEO

Former Take-Two Exec Assumes Helm of Innovative Interactive Entertainment Company on Verge of First Online Game Launch

            BOULDER, Colo. – April 27, 2009– Realtime Worlds, Inc., a leading independent video game developer and publisher, has chosen respected interactive entertainment executive Gary Dale as its new chief executive officer. A video game business expert with more than 25 years of executive experience, Dale will oversee the day-to-day operations and drive strategic direction of Realtime Worlds and its products, commencing with the highly-anticipated urban-themed online game All Points Bulletin.
“Having worked with Gary earlier in his career at BMG Interactive, I am deeply impressed with his management style and profound understanding of the entertainment business,” said David Jones, co-founder and creative director, Realtime Worlds.  “As RTW transitions from being a traditional developer to an online publisher I could not be happier that Gary will lead us through this exciting phase of our growth. His years of experience at companies such as Capcom and Take-Two will prove invaluable in ensuring we meet our goals of becoming a world leading next-generation online publisher. My focus going forward will be on ensuring we continue to deliver quality innovative experiences as with our debut title, Crackdown.”
“Realtime Worlds is one of the most innovative game companies in the world,” said Gary Dale, CEO, Realtime Worlds, Inc. “The Company is on the verge of launching products that will change current conceptions of what MMO games are about. I can’t imagine a more exciting opportunity than to join this talented and creative team as we prepare to deliver such ground-breaking and high quality online entertainment to gamers around the globe.”
A seasoned professional with considerable publishing, business, marketing and operations experience, Dale most recently served as the chief operating officer and executive vice president of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. In this capacity, he focused on optimizing the sales, marketing and distribution business, coordinated new opportunities in emerging genres and markets and served as the corporate liaison for the publisher’s various labels. Prior to this role at Take-Two, Dale was chief operating officer of the company’s Rockstar Games publishing label.
Previously, Dale served as the European managing director of Capcom Co. Ltd., a Japanese interactive entertainment company. He was also the CEO of Broadband Studios, a subsidiary of Take-Two focused on the creation of broadband interactive entertainment software and technology.
Earlier in his career, Dale held various executive positions at BMG, including senior vice president of International Marketing at BMG Music, and president of BMG’s Interactive Software and Video Division. In addition, he’s held marketing and executive positions at some of the most renowned companies, including Nabisco, Duracell and Walt Disney Company’s Buena Vista Home Entertainment, where he served as vice president of Asia Pacific and vice president sales and marketing for Europe.

About Realtime Worlds
Founded in 2002 by Creative Director David Jones alongside gaming industry veterans Ian Hetherington and Tony Harman, Realtime Worlds is one of the largest and most successful independent game developers in the world. With an exceptionally talented staff of more than 230, the company’s experienced teams have a tremendous history of creating some of the world’s bestselling video games, including the global hit franchises “Lemmings” and “Grand Theft Auto.”
In an exclusive partnership with Microsoft Game Studios, Realtime Worlds launched its first title, Crackdown, on Xbox 360 in early 2007. The debut game broke records for demo downloads, sold approximately 1.5 million copies, and won multiple awards including prestigious BAFTA and Develop Industry Excellence awards.
With offices in Boulder, Colo. and Dundee, Scotland, Realtime Worlds is currently working on All Points Bulletin, a multi-player online game in the urban action genre.
For more information on Realtime Worlds, visit www.realtimeworlds.com.

# # #

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 

The news comes straight from community relations manager Chris Dye who said in a post on the game’s forums that the studio has completely moved on to APB, its upcoming cops-and-robbers MMO.

However, he does note that the company appreciates the support gamers have provided for Crackdown, adding that the studio “hopes to repay that in future”.

APB is expected to hit PC and Xbox 360 sometime next year.

“I don’t think the door’s closed [on a sequel],” he said. “Obviously, right now we’re tied up with APB and everything else, but hopefully in the future we’ll have the resource and something can be worked out with Microsoft.”

The studio moved on to All Points Bulletin, an action-MMO that will pit cops against criminals, directly from Crackdown. He described the choice to be a “horrible, horrible decision that we still dwell on.”

All Points Bulletin is in development on PC and Xbox 360 for release in 2009; a public beta is expected to lead up to the game’s debut.