Back in 2014, Ubisoft brought its tried and true open-world formula to a modern setting withWatch Dogs. The game introduced players to a fictional version of the world where technology rules. Citizens are heavily monitored through the ctOS and hacker groups like DedSec are seeking to change that. It seemed like the perfect set up for a game, butUbisoft has struggled to figure outjust what it wants the franchise to be, and the reviews have never been very strong.
While theWatch Dogsfranchise has struggled to get off the ground, Ubisoft has been going strong with itsAssassin’s Creedfranchise. Just recently,Assassin’s Creed: Valhallabecame the highest earning title in the long-running franchise. Ubisoft seems committed to expanding upon this franchise with two games rumored to be in development and TV shows set in the universe through Netflix.TheWatch Dogsfranchise is nowhere near the success ofAssassin’s Creed, but there may be a simple way to fix that. The two series share very similar mechanics and ideas, so maybe making them canon to each other would have gone a long way to helpingWatch Dogsachieve success.
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The Story of Watch Dogs
Watch Dogsbrings players to various citiesaround the world where ctOS has been implemented. This software watches every citizen, collects data on them, and use said data to make the world a safer place. However, this has created many problems as many feel it is an invasion of their privacy and the people in charge of the OS are visibly corrupt. This causes hacker groups like DedSec to be formed to combat the companies in charge of ctOS in hopes that they can take down the intrusive software.
The firstWatch DogsfollowedAiden Pearce in the streets of Chicagoas he vowed to get revenge on those who killed his niece. The second title in the franchise took a more comedic tone and gave players control of Marcus Holloway in San Francisco as he fought back against the Blume company.Watch Dogs: Legiontook the series in a completely different direction by giving players control over everyone in London and had them do battle against a private military company known as Albion. While each game was very different from the last, the core concept of ctOS controlling the world connected all of them.
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Assassin’s Creed Easter Eggs in Watch Dogs
The companies in control of ctOS and the concepts found in the game feel very similar towhat Abstergo wants to doinAssassin’s Creed.There are also so many little hints that the two franchises may actually be connected, including a full on crossover inWatch Dogs: Legion. However, Ubisoft has made it clear that the two series are not actually connected to one another and that they are simple nods. The evidence is continuing to mount that says otherwise, and it seems like an odd choice to continue to claim that they are not canon to each other.
Throughout theAssassin’s CreedandWatch Dogsgames, there are so many hints at a much larger shared universe. For starters, many things point to the fact thatAssassin’s Creedgames exist in theWatch Dogsworld. Players can find copies of the various games as well as a magazine cover that saysAssassin’s Creed 3is one of the best games of all time. While this could be a simple nod,Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flagrevealed that Abstergo was in fact turning the memories of the ancestors into playable games as a cover for searching for the apples of Eden. This could mean that the games players see inWatch Dogsare in fact developed by Abstergo.
In both franchises, players can also find a lot of references to the major companies that exist in the games. InAssassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, players can overhear Abstergo employees discussing the Blume company fromWatch Dogs.On top of that, players can find various Abstergo employees throughoutWatch Dogswhich essentially confirms that these companies exist in the same world.Black Flagalso contains an email between Abstergo and Blume in which Abstergo is asking if Blume could be their security provider, but Ubisoft still claims that the two franchises are not connected.
The biggest connection that the two franchises have had is the addition of aplayable Assassin inWatch Dogs: Legion. In a post-launch update, Ubisoft added a brand-new member of the Assassins' Brotherhood to the game with Darcy Clarkson. She is supposedly a descendant of Jacob and Evie Frye fromAssassin’s Creed: Syndicate,but is considered non-canon to the franchise, She brings with her new story chapters that task players with combating the Templars, a staple of theAssassin’s Creedfranchise. This crossover is said to be a fun nod for fans of both franchises, but it feels so much more than that.
Watch Dogs and Assassin’s Creed Should Have Been Connected
With all of these connections betweenWatch DogsandAssassin’s Creed, it seems silly that the two franchises are considered non-canon to each other. Not only is there confirmation that the companies of both franchises exist in both universes, but there isa literal Assassin inLegion. Ubisoft continues to add connections like this, but has stayed committed to the fact that the two are not related in any fashion. However, if these connections were more than mere nods thenWatch Dogswould be better for it.
Throughout its three entries,Watch Dogshas always struggledto gain an audience and find its identity. TheAssassin’s Creedfranchise has evolved greatly since it was first introduced, but it has not been struggling to gain a foothold in the industry. Connecting the two franchises right off the bat could have helpedWatch Dogsgain traction right away. IfAssassin’s Creedfans knew that theWatch Dogsfranchise would be set in the same universe rather than a brand-new one, it may have given them much more of a reason to pick up the title.
Rumors are circulating thatUbisoft may be quietly retiringWatch Dogsbecause it never found its audience, but it could have. There are way too many connections betweenWatch DogsandAssassin’s Creedto count them as mere nods, and if Ubisoft were to say they were canon to one another then it would have given fans more of a reason to pick it up. There is no real reason that the two franchises are not connected, and not canonizing them was a missed opportunity that could have helped marketWatch Dogsimmensely, and help build out the modern landscape ofAssassin’s Creed.
Watch Dogs: Legionis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
