14 DAY TRIAL // What we know: The Crew is a new racing game created by Ivory Tower and Reflections, with publishing duties handled by Ubisoft, which is set to be launched on the PC, the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One.
The crew does not aim to deliver a classic simulation experience or compete directly with already established brands like Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo.
Ubisoft is interested in making The Crew a complex social and open world experience that covers the entirety of the United States and allows players to drive from one coast to another in about ninety minutes.
The single-player element is supposed to involve fighting crime and all the events can be experienced solo, although a cooperative mechanics is highly recommended by the developers.
The main element of The Crew is its multiplayer, where gamers can create their own organizations and then define types of matches they are interested in engaging in, in order to get access to upgrades and other rewards.
Ubisoft has said that it wants to use all the social and sharing features of the next generation of home consoles.
The game should be out by the end of the third quarter of 2014.
Why it matters: The Crew shares some ideas with DriveClub, another racing title for next-gen consoles from Sony, and the competition between the two will be interesting to watch.
Traditionally, the genre has focused on single-player experiences, although it has opened up in recent games and the new Ubisoft title could be the one to create a thriving world where a car enthusiast can enjoy thrills that do not exist in the real world.
At the same time, this could be an expensive failure for Ubisoft, especially if it gets delayed.
The full list of Incoming 2014 Games articles can be read on Softpedia.