Timeline
1998 May 13 – Kingpin Announced
On May 13, 1998, Kingpin: Life of Crime was officially announced as Xatrix Entertainment’s next first-person shooter, developed using an enhanced version of the Quake II engine. The announcement came shortly before E3 1998, where the game was scheduled for its first public showing.
Interplay confirmed it would publish the title, highlighting Xatrix’s shift toward a darker, crime‑themed setting. Early details emphasized:
- A gritty, urban world inspired by noir and gangster fiction
- Puzzle‑solving and clue‑gathering elements
- Planned vehicle segments (including a gyrocopter)
- A projected Q1 1999 release window
Blue’s News reported that the project was the game designer Ridah had been hinting at in his .plan updates. His notes described:
- A setting influenced by 1930s gangster films
- A focus on AI and gameplay systems
- Research into vehicle physics for new engine features
- The working title Kingpin
Sources
1998 August 26 – Dr. Sleep Joins Xatrix
On 26 August 1998, Blue’s News reported that John W. Anderson (Dr. Sleep) had left Ion Storm and joined Xatrix Entertainment. Anderson was known for his level design work on Doom, Heretic, and Hexen, and his move added veteran experience to the Kingpin development team.
In his interview from the same date, Anderson described the transition as a positive change, noting that Xatrix offered a more focused and productive environment. He expressed enthusiasm for contributing to the studio’s upcoming projects and highlighted the strong creative atmosphere within the team.
Sources
1998 May 28–30 – Possible First Trailer Shown at E3
Kingpin was announced shortly before E3 1998 with confirmation that the game would be presented at the show. A promotional trailer survives today, but no contemporary documentation confirms whether this specific video was the one shown during the event.
Given the timing of the announcement, the presence of Xatrix and Interplay at E3, and later previews referencing early footage seen “earlier that year,” it is considered likely that an early version of the trailer or similar gameplay reel was shown during E3 1998.
Surviving promotional video
Notes
- No hard evidence confirms this exact trailer was used at E3.
- It may represent the same or similar footage shown at the event.
Sources
- 1998 May 13 Announcement
- E3 1998 dates: 28–30 May 1998
1998 September 6–9 – First Screenshots Shown at ECTS 1998
The earliest confirmed Kingpin screenshots appeared during the European Computer Trade Show (ECTS) 1998, held from 6–9 September in London. Interplay presented an early build of the game at the event, and several gaming outlets published screenshots taken from the show floor or from press materials distributed during ECTS.
These images represent the first publicly available look at Kingpin, showcasing early versions of the game's urban environments, character models, and lighting. The screenshots published by Blue’s News and GameSpot UK’s ECTS coverage match the material shown at the event, making ECTS 1998 the most likely source of the first public screenshots.
Sources