Rumor: Popular Ubisoft IP Shelved Permanently

The future of the Watch Dogs franchise appears shaky following a new rumor suggesting Ubisoft has canceled several projects related to the series. This news comes after the middling critical and commercial reception of the last entry in the Watch Dogs franchise, 2020’s Legion.

The Watch Dogs series debuted in 2014 with the titular game, which put technological vigilantism front and center in a fictionalized version of Chicago. The first title is iconic not just for kickstarting the franchise, but also for the popular “Ubisoft downgrade” meme because of the stark differences between its E3 2012 trailer and launch version. The first game was successful, though, having sold over 10 million copies by the end of 2014. However, Watch Dogs 2 didn’t capture the same success, taking nearly four years to sell as many copies. Watch Dogs Legion attempted to reinvigorate interest in the series with a unique “play-as-anyone” mechanic, but it ultimately fell flat due to mixed reception from players and critics.

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According to prominent Ubisoft leaker j0nathan on Twitter, the underwhelming commercial performance of Watch Dogs Legion has led Ubisoft to cancel several projects related to the franchise, leaving Watch Dogs “dead and buried.” The in-development projects included a reportedly “fairly original” battle royale title, suggesting Ubisoft was exploring new directions for Watch Dogs. The lack of official confirmation from Ubisoft leaves room for doubt, but the warning signs date back to 2022.

Watch Dogs’ Future Has Reportedly Been In Doubt For a While

YouTuber JorRaptor theorized in 2022 that the Watch Dogs series may have been quietly discontinued, owing to the departures and reshuffling of senior staff members associated with the development of the franchise. Ubisoft abruptly cutting off patches and content updates in 2022 for Legion, just over a year since its release, added further fuel to the fire. It was speculative back then, but two years later, it seems even likelier that the IP is on ice.

While Watch Dogs never truly reached the heights of other Ubisoft staples like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, its premise of hacking and its implications in a futuristic, hyper-connected world showed a lot of promise that sadly wasn’t capitalized on enough. It’s doubtful that the series may get another chance in the near future, especially during a time when AAA development costs are ballooning. However, a smaller and more focused entry that returns to the roots of the first Watch Dogs may just be what it needs to cash in on its potential.