Editing Driver 3 (section)

{{Short description|2004 video game}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Driver 3
| image = Driver 3 cover.jpg
| caption = European cover art
| developer = [[Ubisoft Reflections|Reflections Interactive]]{{efn|[[VD-dev|Velez & Dubail]] developed the Game Boy Advance version.}}
| publisher = [[Atari, Inc. (1993–present)|Atari]]{{efn|[[Glu Mobile|Sorrent]] published the mobile version.}}
| director = Martin Edmondson
| designer = Steve Boland<br />Martin Edmondson<br />Craig Lawson<br />Mark Mainey
| programmer = Christopher Phillips<br />Christopher Jenner
| artist = Phil Baxter<br />Andreas Tawn
| writer = Maurice Suckling
| composer = [[Marc Canham (composer)|Marc Canham]]<br />Richard Aitken<br />Richard Narco
| series = ''[[Driver (video game series)|Driver]]''
| platforms = {{cslist|[[PlayStation 2]]|[[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]|[[BREW]]|[[J2ME]]|[[Game Boy Advance]]|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]}}
| released = {{collapsible list|title={{nobold|21 June 2004}}|'''PlayStation 2''', '''Xbox'''|{{vgrelease|NA|21 June 2004|EU|22 June 2004|AU|24 June 2004}}|'''Mobile'''|{{vgrelease|WW|21 June 2004}}|'''Windows'''|{{vgrelease|NA|15 March 2005|EU|18 March 2005|AU|13 April 2005}}|'''Game Boy Advance'''|{{vgrelease|EU|14 October 2005|NA|25 October 2005|AU|28 October 2005}}}}
| genre = [[Action-adventure game|Action-adventure]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
}}

'''''Driver 3''''' (stylized as '''''DRIV3R''''') is a 2004 [[action-adventure game]], the third installment in the [[Driver (series)|''Driver'' series]]. It was developed by [[Ubisoft Reflections|Reflections Interactive]], published by [[Atari, Inc. (1993–present)|Atari]], and released on [[PlayStation 2]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] and mobile phones in June 2004, [[Microsoft Windows]] in March 2005, and [[Game Boy Advance]] in October 2005. The game's story focuses on players assuming the role of John Tanner, an undercover FBI agent, as he investigates a car-smuggling ring across three countries, in order to identify and arrest its boss and learn who they are planning to sell a cache of stolen cars to. The game expanded upon its predecessors with on-foot sections, gun combat, and drive-by shooting, with virtual recreations of three major cities - [[Miami]], [[Nice]], and [[Istanbul]] - free-roam game mode, and an improvement to the series' film-making "director mode".

''Driver 3'' was a much-hyped and anticipated title,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Reed |first=Kristan |date=2004-05-28 |title=DRIV3R |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/fi-driv3rmay |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=Eurogamer.net |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Leigh |first=Stephen |date=2011-09-15 |title=Gaming Disasters: Driv3r |url=https://whatculture.com/gaming/gaming-disasters-driv3r |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=WhatCulture.com |language=en}}</ref> and although the game was a commercial success, it received mixed reviews upon release, except for the PC edition which received negative feedback from critics. While the graphics, story and driving were praised, criticism was focused on the on foot controls, awkward shooting mechanics, and performance issues, with some critics accusing Atari of rushing the game's release to avoid competing with ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]'' later that year. Some publications referred to the game as disastrous.<ref name="eurogxbox" /><ref name=":0" /> The game was succeeded by ''[[Driver: Parallel Lines]]'' (2006), before being followed up by a direct sequel, ''[[Driver: San Francisco]]'', in 2011.