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Watch Dogs sets May 27 release date
After a delay that pulled its newest open world title from the roster of two console launches, Ubisoft has set a new release date for Watch Dogs: May 27, 2014. The new release date targets versions in development on PC, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360 and PS3. During a financial call in February, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot announced that the Wii U release of Watch Dogs would see its own separate delay, pushing the version's release beyond other platforms in order to "focus the team's resources where they could have the broadest possible benefit for both our customers and Ubisoft." No firm date for the Wii U version has been established. Speaking with Joystiq, Watch Dogs Senior Producer Dominic Guay could only say the Wii U version would arrive "a few months" after the game's release on counterpart platforms. [Image: Ubisoft]
Rumor: Watch Dogs see all May 27
Watch Dogs, prepare to get voyeuristic on May 27. For the second time this week, UK retailer GAME has leaked a big announcement, as VideoGamer captured the social media spread of the release date. NeoGAF also has a link to the game's trailer with the image above at its conclusion. [Image: Ubisoft]
Ubisoft teams with Sony Pictures for feature-length Rabbids movie
We've known for a while that Ubisoft was planning to bring the manic, mush-mouthed Rabbids to the silver screen, but we now learn that the gaming giant has tapped Sony Pictures to aid in the attempt. "Sony Pictures has tremendous experience developing hybrid live-action-and-animated blockbusters for audiences around the world, which makes them a natural fit for what we want to achieve with a Rabbids film," said Ubisoft Motion Pictures executive director Jean-Julien Baronnet in an announcement this morning. "This deal deepens our partnership with Sony Pictures and highlights our holistic approach to bringing Ubisoft's brands to new audiences while still maintaining the brands' creative integrity." This Rabbids film is only the latest effort by Ubisoft to break into the motion picture business via the publisher's popular video game characters. Last August we reported on a deal between Ubisoft and Sony Pictures to develop a film based on the Watch Dogs franchise, while a Ghost Recon film is currently in the early stages of production under the watchful eye of producer and noted explosion aficionado Michael Bay. There is currently no word on when the as-yet unnamed Rabbids film will debut, nor any information on its cast and crew. [Image: Ubisoft]
Watch Dogs Wii U delayed, other versions due between April and June
Watch Dogs is due out between April and June, during Ubisoft's Q1 2014 - 2015, for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. The Wii U version has been delayed, Ubisoft confirmed to Game Informer. "We made the difficult decision to further delay the release of Watch Dogs on Wii U to focus the team's resources where they could have the broadest possible benefit for both our customers and Ubisoft," CEO Yves Guillemot said during Ubisoft's financial call. Watch Dogs was intended to be a next-gen launch game, but was delayed to spring 2014 a month before the new console launches. At the time of the delay, Guillemot said, "In a world of mega-blockbusters, we have now come to the conclusion that the team needed additional time to realize the game's full potential."
Watch Dogs trademark reinstated to Ubisoft
The Watch Dogs trademark has been returned to Ubisoft, following an unknown third party's attempt to abandon the mark on behalf of the company. This week, the US Patent and Trademark Office received a request to abandon the Watch Dogs mark from someone claiming to be Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. Guillemot never made the request, and today he submitted a signed statement to the USPTO declaring as much. "Here, the circumstances are extraordinary," the USPTO reinstatement petition reads. "An unknown party who lacked authority executed the purported abandonment of the application. Although the request appears to have been sent by petitioner, petitioner declared that it did not submit the request and has every reason to believe that this filing was fraudulent. The Director finds the application should not have been abandoned."
Watch Dogs trademark ditch was fraudulent request, Ubisoft says
Ubisoft is currently working to fix a false request to abandon its trademark for upcoming sandbox hack-a-thon Watch Dogs. Yesterday it came to light that Ubisoft had apparently abandoned the Watch Dogs trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, leading to speculation of the internet kind. IGN reports that that the trademark office informed Ubisoft that it had received the request to abandon the trademark from the company's CEO Yves Guillemot. It turns out that Mr. Guillemot never made such a request. Nor did any of his underlings. Or his underlings' underlings. The intern in the mail room has not been ruled out. Ubisoft tells Joystiq, "We are working directly with the USPTO on reinstating the trademark for Watch Dogs and it will be active again in the coming days. The matter has no impact on the Watch Dogs' development." Update: Headline revised for clarity. [Image: Ubisoft]
Report: GameStop Italy refusing pre-orders on Watch Dogs on Wii U [update 2]
Update 2: The canceled pre-orders were a glitch, and Watch Dogs will be available on Wii U again in the US and Italy, GameStop Italy and a US "source" tells Kotaku. Why didn't you just say so, Ubisoft? Update: By means of an email from GameStop Italy's customer service, we're told that in regards to Wiitalia's report, "This information is wrong, tomorrow the reservation[s] of Watch Dogs will restart." We're reaching out to GameStop Italy for clarification, and will continue to update the story as we learn more. Original story: An Italian report pours doubt over Watch Dogs reaching the Wii U, and Ubisoft hasn't stepped in to deny rumors of a cancelation for the platform. Wiitalia claimed GameStop Italy is refusing to take Wii U pre-orders of the open-world hacking adventure, after a reader was told by a store employee that Ubisoft had dropped the Wii U version. Wiitalia said it then called other GameStop stores and was unable to order the Wii U version at any of them. We've reached out to GameStop Italy to clarify the situation.
Hacktivists and Watch Dogs: How real-world threats inspired Ubisoft Montreal's new open-world
Once relegated to campy and inaccurate parodies in Hollywood movies, hacking is increasingly becoming a part of our daily lives. With the PlayStation Network, LinkedIn, Twitter and, most recently, Target all being attacked, as well as the countless attacks fielded by various "hacktivist" groups, computer technology and security issues are becoming impossible to ignore. The group known as LulzSec, a disparate band of anarchists, managed to take down over a dozen websites and services, including the PSN, for months. As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, the potential vulnerabilities grow exponentially. Our lives, and especially the infrastructure on which they rely, have never been more vulnerable. If Watch Dogs – Ubisoft's recently delayed open-world, multiplatform title – could be said to have a point, that would be it. "People should question technology and their relationship to it," one of many on the Watch Dogs team that have decided to to 'take control of their digital lives,' tells me. "The more we put ourselves in the online world the easier it is to be exploited, and many people are completely blind to how fast their world is changing."
Watch Dogs engine originally built for a racing game
Watch Dogs began life as a very different game. When the team was formed years ago, the goal was to create a driving game. "They were working on a driving engine, working on something. We had the Driver license. This was years ago," Ubisoft North America President Laurent Detoc told IGN. "Then we were thinking, 'no, this is not the way we want to go with a driving game,' so we canceled that and restarted. It's not like Watch Dogs started as Watch Dogs. The Watch Dogs project was initially another game." Detoc added that some parts of the engine were then incorporated into Watch Dogs after the team reshuffled and added a new creative director. Ubisoft was also working on another driving game at the time – either Driver: San Francisco or The Crew – so it made sense to cancel the project. "What happens is that a game gets canceled, and then you take pieces of that game to make a new one. We could have had another driving engine from another team in another place, and then it would have been used by the Watch Dogs team." Watch Dogs, which was originally due to launch this year, was pushed back to Spring 2014 in October. The delay contributed to a drop in Ubisoft's stock, though company president Yves Guillemot is adamant "the team needed additional time to realize the game's full potential."
Ubisoft expects 'double the console installed base of previous generations'
Tony Key, senior VP of marketing and sales at Ubisoft, recently said the publisher's "feeling is the installed base of these machines will be much faster to take hold than previous generations" in regards to the PS4 and Xbox One an interview with Games Industry International. "In the first couple of years, we expect double the installed based of previous generations," he added, referring to the number of systems sold over the same period of time. "The reason why is: The last cycle was longer, so there's a lot of pent up demand." Key isn't alone in believing that the new systems will continue to sell well, as Sony's Jack Tretton projected that three million PS4 consoles would be sold by the end of the year. The PS4 is off to a good start; the next-generation console sold one million units within its first 24 hours at retail. Key also spoke to the delay of Ubisoft's Watch Dogs to spring 2014 in the interview, saying that "Watch Dogs is designed to be a long-term brand for Ubisoft. We won't launch it until we know it's equaling the vision it can achieve." Update: Clarified language regarding Key's expectation for next-generation console sales.
Watch Dogs, Assassin's Creed IV bonus content exclusive to Sony for 6 months
The PlayStation 3 and PS4 incarnations of Watch Dogs and Assassin's Creed 4 will both feature exclusive downloadable content additions - but only for six months. That time limit is stated plainly in the above PlayStation 4 ad. At the 1:19 mark, the ad trumpets "60 minutes of exclusive gameplay" only found in PlayStation 4 version of Assassin's Creed IV, but as the footnote explains this exclusivity is valid for six months. A similar scene focused on Watch Dogs plays out seconds later. As Shacknews points out, this isn't necessarily a guarantee that these DLC packs will find their way to Microsoft- and Nintendo-branded consoles. Ubisoft could ignore other platforms once the exclusivity agreement ends, though that makes little financial sense if Assassin's Creed IV and Watch Dogs are the big hits Ubisoft intends them to be.
Report: Watch Dogs PS4 pre-orders given option to switch bundles
Those that pre-ordered the Watch Dogs PS4 bundle through Amazon.co.uk have until October 23 to switch to one of five other console packs. Amazon recently reassured buyers that they would still receive their consoles on time, while GameStop also offered customers the option to switch bundles. The offer is according to Reddit user Shaunyac, who shared an email sent to them by Amazon, which states that those that don't switch their order will have their Watch Dogs bundle automatically revert to a standard PS4 console pre-order. The supposed email directs customers to a special page on Amazon, which requires them to enter a 17-digit order ID for the Watch Dogs bundle pre-order, then select from the following six options: Killzone Bundle - PS4 and Killzone: Shadow Fall Action Pack - PS4, Killzone: Shadow Fall and Battlefield 4 Adrenalin Pack - PS4, Killzone: Shadow Fall and Need For Speed: Rivals Gamer Pack - PS4, Killzone: Shadow Fall, extra DualShock 4 controller and PS4 camera FIFA Mega Pack - PS4, Killzone: Shadow Fall, FIFA 14, extra DualShock 4 controller and PS4 camera PS4 system alone This follows Ubisoft's decision to delay both Watch Dogs and The Crew earlier this week, the former to spring 2014 and the latter to Q2 2015, which stretches from July 2014 to September 2014. Ubisoft's shares dropped 25 percent following the delays.
GAME addresses PS4 Watch Dogs bundle situation for UK buyers
UK retailer GAME has taken to Twitter to reassure its customers in the wake of yesterday's Watch Dogs delay, and to explain how this affects existing PlayStation 4 pre-orders. Happily, those who've already dropped cash on a PlayStation 4 or Watch Dogs pre-order need not worry: Both items will be available to you as soon as they launch. GAME is currently ironing out details on how it will alter those pre-orders that include both a PlayStation 4 and Watch Dogs, but the retailer claims that it will soon be in touch with customers to offer further information. This news comes shortly after similar public responses from both Amazon and GameStop. As we reported yesterday, those who pre-ordered PlayStation 4 systems from either of those retailers will not have their dreams of unwrapping a new console at launch dashed by this Watch Dogs situation.
Ubisoft shares drop 25 percent following delays
Yesterday, Ubisoft announced delays for both Watch Dogs and The Crew, two games so highly anticipated that news of these delays prompted Ubisoft stock to shed more than 25 percent of its value. As of now, Ubisoft stock is trading at $8.19 per share. That's a 26.15 percent dip from just yesterday when Ubisoft was valued as high as $11.10 per share. So far the stock has shown only minor signs of rebounding, though these have immediately been followed by further value loss. Though the delays of Watch Dogs and The Crew are the comically gargantuan straws that shattered the camel's back, they are not the sole reason for Ubisoft's sudden financial woes. Rayman Legends and Splinter Cell: Blacklist, two games that Ubisoft expected to sell like gangbusters, failed to perform at retail. "We have had games that were released for which we anticipate today lower sales than we anticipated when we gave our first targets," said Ubisoft CFO Alain Martinez during the firm's most recent investors' conference call. "Already released games such as, of course, Splinter Cell, Rayman, and others."
Amazon: Watch Dogs PS4 bundle pre-orders will get the system on time [Update: GameStop responds]
Update: GameStop has sent out an email to customers who pre-ordered the Watch Dogs PS4 bundle, which Pixel Enemy has posted online. These customers may either elect to receive their console on time and get the game separately, when it ships later, or exchange the bundle entirely for another. Those that pre-ordered a PS4 launch bundle packaged that was slated to include Watch Dogs will still receive their consoles on time, Amazon reassured buyers. The news follows Watch Dogs' delay to spring 2014, along with a delay for Ubisoft's racer The Crew. In an update on the bundle's product page, Amazon noted that "all orders for the Watch Dogs PlayStation 4 bundle will keep their place in line and we will fulfill the PlayStation 4 (without the Watch Dogs game) in accordance with your current delivery estimate." Amazon added that it is "working on adjusting these orders and will update you as soon as we know more." Stock for the launch-day bundles have come and gone, and include Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack and Battlefield 4. [Thanks, Eric!]
Watch Dogs delayed to Spring 2014
Ubisoft announced today that Watch Dogs has been delayed until Spring 2014. Communications manager Gary Steinman writes on the Watch Dogs blog, "As we got closer to release, as all the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place in our last push before completion, it became clear to us that we needed to take the extra time to polish and fine tune each detail so we can deliver a truly memorable and exceptional experience." The game was originally slated to be released this November on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It was expected to be one of the highlights of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One launches. Speaking during Ubisoft's financial results call, president Yves Guillemot said, "Today we can say we already have a great game in hand. Still, in a world of mega-blockbusters, we have now come to the conclusion that the team needed additional time to realize the game's full potential." This additional time, he said, will allow Ubisoft to ensure that Watch Dogs is a "long term pillar" of the company's portfolio, much like Assassin's Creed and Far Cry.
AC4, Watch Dogs bringing Uplay to PS4, Xbox One
Ubisoft has confirmed its Uplay service will be used to support its games on PS4 and Xbox One this November. Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag and Watch Dogs will be the first next-generation games to use the store and social service, and both games will, according to publisher, "benefit from the full scope of our services and features using just one unique profile." The announcement post also promises the PC version of Uplay will be updated next month. The Uplay app made its debut on the Nintendo Wii U in November. Uplay, which unifies most of Ubisoft's games with social features, achievements, rewards and DRM, was first introduced in 2009. Since then, it has grown through many iterations and even started selling third-party games.
Watch Dogs' free mobile companion app detailed
A post to Ubisoft's Ubiblog yesterday shared details on how Watch Dogs' "ctOS Mobile" companion app for iOS and Android will play into a competitive multiplayer mode focused on "fast-paced challenges." As a refresher, ctOS is the software responsible for the surveillance of citizens in the game's virtual take on Chicago. Players will use the app to foil the general plans of an opponent playing the console version of the game. Communications Associate Anne Lewis shared her experience with the app, describing a match focused on stopping her opponent from reaching four checkpoints within the allotted time. Lewis' efforts included hacking traffic lights and raising traffic poles to inspire crashes, as well as maneuvering a helicopter to reveal parts of the city that can be affected through the app. Killing the opponent doesn't end the match, but it does send them back to the start without returning any of the time lost in their previous attempt. Attracting attention to the player will also get the cops involved, so the more chaos the player using the app creates, the better their chance for victory is. A statement in the same post from Technical Lead Frédéric Blais clarified that app users "don't need to own the console game" to play. Of course, app users will still need to find a console-based opponent to douse with unfortunate events and ultimately ruin the day of.
Watch Dogs gives a 14-minute look at open gameplay
Ubisoft has released an extended walkthrough of upcoming open-world hack-a-thon Assassin's Creed 2142. Sorry, Watch Dogs. Meant to call it Watch Dogs. The first half of the demo finds protagonist Aiden Pearce attempting to infiltrate a protected server node to gain valuable. real-time information about the surrounding area. The scenario gives a solid sense of the game's stealth, combat and chase mechanics. The demo concludes with the seamless multiplayer integration in the game, where the hacker becomes the hackee... hacked? An outside player has infiltrated the game and, after scaring them off, it's time to return the favor.
Best Buy offers $10 Xbox One upgrade on select games
Best Buy has rolled out a program offering $10 next-gen upgrades for a handful of coming games, similar to systems put in place at Gamestop and Amazon. Included in the list of eligible games are FIFA 14, Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4 and Watch Dogs. Exactly how you score your cheap upgrade is where things get complicated. According to Best Buy's official site, if you purchase one of the above games within a set period after its release (most can be picked up as much as a month after release day), you'll be given a $10 coupon to be put toward your game's Xbox One incarnation. When you want to upgrade, you must present this coupon as well as the Xbox 360 game. Best Buy will then give you $40 store credit in exchange for the game, reducing the final cost of your new Xbox One game to $10 (unless the Xbox One version has a retail price greater than $60; in that case you'll be paying the remainder as well). If this scheme sounds intriguing, you should also note that all such upgrades must occur by December 31. Full legal details and all the fine print you can digest can be found on Best Buy's official site.
