Don’t hold your breath for more Watch Dogs games, as rumour is French publisher Ubisoft is completely done with the franchise.
The embattled organisation – which is going through a real period of turmoil as its stock prices have plunged – has apparently quietly killed the franchise behind closed doors, following poor performance of Watch Dogs Legion.
Originally billed as a GTA rival, Watch Dogs was pitched as the publisher’s response to the urban sandbox genre.
The first game – set in Chicago – had a sombre tone, but it successfully married Ubisoft’s open world blueprint with some nifty gameplay ideas, like a smartphone that could be used to tap into the city’s infrastructure – and its inhabitants.
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The more vibrant San Francisco sequel, Watch Dogs 2, refined the format with a stronger story and better cast of characters.
But in trying something new, the aforementioned Watch Dogs Legion – which switched the setting to London – fell flat, allowing you to play as anyone in the world but lacking the narrative structure to carry its ambition.
Word of Watch Dogs’ alleged death comes courtesy of podcast appearance from Insider Gaming snoop Tom Henderson.
His credentials have obviously been questioned since Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake’s cancellation, as he previously hinted it would be shadow dropped this month – although clearly things are changing within Ubisoft on a day-to-day basis.
There is still a Watch Dogs movie scheduled to release, after filming wrapped on the project in 2024. And writing on X (or Twitter), director Mathieu Turi addressed the latest round of rumours, asking “Is it?” in response to reports that the series is dead.
While the movie may still release, though, a new game seems impossible right now. Ubisoft just doesn’t have the resources or the financial stability to make a bet on this brand at the moment.