Microsoft Game Studios' action title Crackdown has gone gold.

From developer Realtime Worlds and the mind of acclaimed creator Dave Jones, Crackdown is poised for release late February.

Boasting an immersive – and highly explosive – three-dimensional world in which players can rain down justice from rooftop to road, Crackdown offers gamers the opportunity to take down the gangs of Pacific City in a massive, single-player campaign or with a friend over the title’s cooperative mode via Xbox Live.

“The excitement for Crackdown is evident through the significant number of pre-orders and affirms the continued Xbox 360 momentum in 2007,” says Jeff Bell, Corporate Vice President Global Marketing in the Interactive Entertainment Business Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft Corp.

Those gamers anxious to get an early glimpse at the title will be able to enjoy the demo available through Xbox Live Marketplace this month. And, as previously announced, Crackdown fans will be offered a special bonus with access to the coveted Halo 3 Multiplayer beta testing programme with specially marked copies.

From Realtime Worlds, Crackdown pushes the action-driving hybrid genre into the next generation with what Microsoft calles the first ever truly 3D playground. Gamers will level up their agent’s strength, agility, firearms, explosives and driving skills while scaling the fully vertical world. The game also incorporates revolutionary co-op gameplay throughout the entire freeform campaign.