The Crew 3 Is Reportedly In the Works, The Comeback Fans Have Been Waiting For

In a surprise move that has got racing game fans all excited again, Ubisoft is allegedly getting ready to bring its long-running open-world racing franchise, The Crew, back to life. According to sources, Tom Henderson says that a brand-new movie in the series has been officially approved. Even though Ubisoft hasn't said anything official yet, if these rumors are true, fans could be in for a bold return to form: a true Crew 3 that revives what made the franchise special in the first place.

The Crew has been a unique racing game since its release in 2014, boasting huge open-world maps that resemble the entire United States. The original game, developed by the Lyon, France-based Ubisoft Ivory Tower studio, offered players a driving experience spanning coast to coast and an online world that would evolve over time. The idea was big, and there were some growing pains along the way, but it laid the groundwork for a brand that will last.

Then, in 2018, The Crew 2 came out, which took things even further by adding new types of vehicles (planes and boats) and making the race more arcade-like. But The Crew Motorfest, which came out in 2023, caused the most trouble. Motorfest took players to a squished version of Hawaii and swapped the open-road discovery mode for a festival-like setting full of planned events and party vibes, clearly drawing inspiration from Xbox's Forza Horizon series.

Motorfest sold a large number of copies and even had more early players than The Crew 2, but some fans didn't like how the game's style changed. A lot of long-time players missed the big, open-ended adventures of the older games. It was faster to race on the smaller area with less terrain, but it wasn't the long, open odyssey that the series was known for before.

That's why this supposed return to the show's roots is making so much noise. Henderson's report suggests that this new game is likely to be a direct follow-up to The Crew 2 rather than Motorfest. That's a significant improvement. There may be a triumphant return to full-scale United States maps, long-haul drives, and unlimited vehicle freedom in The Crew 3. This is exactly what fans have been waiting for years.

There isn't an official name yet, but Ubisoft may stick with the usual numbers and call it The Crew 3. It would make sense to give it a real numerical title if this is a continuation of the open-world U.S. road trip formula.

But there's a catch. It appears that the project is still in its very early stages—perhaps just starting pre-production—so we will have to wait a considerable amount of time. These days, making an AAA open-world game takes about four to five years, and that's if everything goes as planned. Based on current progress, this could easily push the release date back to 2029 or 2030, which is when the next generation of gaming hardware is expected to be released.

There's a good chance that The Crew 3 will be a cross-gen game similar to Motorfest, which came before it. Now, the game might be released on current-gen platforms like the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, but Ubisoft could also optimize it for the hardware of future consoles, which are expected to be released as early as 2027 or 2028. That being said, The Crew 3 could be a technical showpiece for next-gen power, especially if it focuses on big settings and realistic vehicle physics.

Don't let the long wait make you less excited, though. Motorfest is still being worked on and is still a big part of Ubisoft's lineup. Ivory Tower has been adding seasonal material, live events, car shows, and summit challenges to keep people interested in the game. Even though Motorfest has been out for more than a year, it still has a good number of regular monthly players. This suggests that the franchise is still popular as it gets ready for its next big step forward.

Even better, Ubisoft is known for keeping up with its driving games for a long time. The Crew was a live-service game years before that was the norm in the business. Ubisoft isn't ready to let this engine cool down anytime soon, as they're already working on the next game.

Fans are already making guesses about what the next game might be like. Will the cross-country difficulties from the first game be back? Will it get bigger by adding more multiplayer racing teams or by going deeper into story mode? Could we see a weather system that changes over time or real day-night cycles on the huge highways and backroads in the United States? These are all possible, and the Ivory Tower development team has more tools than ever to make them happen, thanks to new technology.

Don't forget about the time either. It seems like racing games are having a moment. There's a big need for a more free-spirited, exploratory racing sim since Forza Motorsport is focused on reality, and Gran Turismo 7 is still the best PlayStation game. The Crew used to have that room, and it might get it back.

Ubisoft is being quiet for now, and no public announcement has been made. However, the rumors are intensifying, and since Tom Henderson has a good reputation, people are becoming very excited very quickly. If the next part lives up to its promise of a full return to The Crew's famous style, it could be just what the racing genre needs.

Hold on tight because The Crew might be changing gears again. This time, it might be going back to the open road at full speed.