- Ubisoft launched the original Watch Dogs in 2014, promising a completely new style of gameplay 10 years ago.
- The first game was criticized for a graphical downgrade and not living up to its potential.
- Since then, the franchise has seen multiple releases and even included a crossover event with Assassin’s Creed.
Ubisoft is best known for its role as a pioneer of the modern open world. Among its biggest IPs, Assassin’s Creed is the most popular, but Watch Dogs is often considered the most unique.
Set in a fictional rendition of the modern era, this series is based on hacking, criminal organizations, and the dilemma of instant access to anybody’s personal information. While Ubisoft has released various Watch Dogs games today, the franchise debuted exactly 10 years ago.
Why it matters: There is still demand for more Watch Dogs today, highlighting that the series remains full of untapped potential.
The franchise came with many promises in 2014. A completely next-generation experience with incredible visuals and dynamic hacking, an open world that would potentially rival Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto, and one more addition to Ubisoft’s promising catalog of games.
Unfortunately, many would argue the game failed to live up to most of these promises. Launching after unprecedented anticipation, Watch Dogs became the victim of one of this studio’s worst graphical downgrades.
The final release looked noticeably worse than what was shown at E3, a common theme for Ubisoft games at the time. Unfortunately, this controversy even overshadowed many of Watch Dogs’ strengths.
Today, this game has developed a reputation for being underrated. Its narrative certainly had a few interesting moments, and the hacking concept provided a solid foundation for future entries to build open.
While Watch Dogs was never the revolutionary hacking playground many expected, it was a solid release nonetheless.
Following this launch, the franchise spawned various entries set within different parts of the world. For instance, the second game took place in San Franciso, while Watch Dogs Legion took fans to central London.
The first two entries also sold a combined 20 million units, creating a humongous IP for the French developer. However, recent reports claim that Ubisoft has permanently moved on from this series.
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