Welcome to the next generation of Grand Theft Auto. No, we're not talking about the blockbuster videogame series created by UK-based Rockstar North, we're talking about All Points Bulletin (A.P.B.) coming to a PC and Xbox 360 near you courtesy of Real Time Worlds. While both Real Time Worlds and Rockstar North are based in the United Kingdom (yes, GTA was not made in the US), A.P.B. is looking to fill the holes that GTA has left by focusing on online play and gang rivalry.

When we stopped by Real Time Worlds on our trip to the UK last week, the game was very early on. The PC beta is currently slated for late 2007, with a retail release coming in early 2008. The Xbox 360 version of the title will follow sometime after the PC release. Real Time Worlds is currently working on wrapping up its other Xbox 360 title, Crackdown. We'll have more on that as E3 swiftly approaches, but for the time being we've got a nice helping of new info on A.P.B.

A.P.B. is a third-person MMOG that pits cops against robbers. Gamers will take part in a free roaming city environment that will focus on player vs. player battles over NPC interaction. As a criminal, you'll be able to mastermind robberies of all kinds and make a name for yourself by taking over turf in your city of choice. You can form gangs with other players and even tag up the city with your own custom gang logo.

The customization doesn't stop there as players will be able to fully customize their gear to be whatever they want it to be. You can change your clothing color and type, change your hairstyle, and even change the buckles on your boots. The customization is extremely extensive here as Real Time Worlds is looking to make every single character in the game unique. You should be able to recognize your friend by their appearance (down to their face) instead of their name. Even the vehicles you drive around and the graffiti you use will be fully customizable.

As a police officer players will obviously have to stop all criminal activity in the city. As crimes take place, an A.P.B. will be sent out to all qualified law enforcement agents in the area. From there it will be your job to get to the scene of the crime and stop the perpetrator at all costs. The more crimes you stop the higher you'll move up in the law enforcement chain. You may start out as a beat cop, but after six months of playing you could be an F.B.I. agent. Instead of gangs, law enforcement officials will be able to form squads and cleanse and entire city in the same manor as a gang would terrorize it.

There will be multiple cities available in A.P.B. with each one being divided up into sections. Each section will allow approximately 100 players to co-exist at the same time. You can move from section to section freely, so long as the section you wish to move to has not reached its player limit. Each city will be comprised of 1500 pedestrians and 250 ambient vehicles. There will also be day and night cycles for each city to simulate the passage of time.

The city environments won't change much so that players will be able to get extremely familiar with their surroundings. This will help the criminals to plan their escape routes, and assist the cops in stopping said criminals. The more familiar you are with your surroundings the better off you'll be. Think of it like GTA, where knowing the city you're in makes navigation that much easier.

Combat in A.P.B. will be very skill-based. Every aspect of combat will be real-time, almost like an online version of Grand Theft Auto or True Crime. The gameplay is all third-person, and some auto-targeting will be in place to compensate for lag issues. However, on the whole the gameplay will be skill-based, unlike some other MMO titles. There will be a wide variety of weaponry, including bats, guns and all kinds of hand to hand and ranged weapons that you'd expect criminals and law enforcement agents to use.

A.P.B. is very early on right now, and Real Time Worlds didn't have much to actually show us beyond some character art. However, the company is working with Korean-based Webzen to ensure that the MMO aspects of the title are top notch. Graphically, the game is using Unreal Engine 3 technology, so you can expect things to look pretty good when the game hits in early 2008. We'll have more on A.P.B. in the coming year.