Ubisoft CEO Calls Watch Dogs 'Important' for Future, But New Games Aren't Coming Soon

Don't expect a new Watch Dogs game in the near future.

According to Game File, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot was asked by an investor about the future of the Watch Dogs franchise. Guillemot said Ubisoft views the IP as 'an important brand for the future,' but didn't elaborate on how. Stephen Totilo of Game File noted that Guillemot implied there are currently no Watch Dogs games in active development, suggesting Ubisoft might still be deciding where to take the series next.

A Watch Dogs movie is in the works, but there's no release date yet. The film finished production two years ago and had reshoots last year, but there's been no significant promotion so far. As of now, it doesn't even have a release date, adding to the mystery.

Watch Dogs first launched in 2014, though it was originally planned to release alongside the PS4 in November 2013. Ubisoft marketed it as a direct competitor to Grand Theft Auto 5, which came out in September 2013. Unfortunately, many felt it didn't live up to its ambitions, but it still made an impact on the open-world crime genre. Two years later, Ubisoft released a more impressive sequel set in San Francisco, but the momentum didn't carry over to the third installment.

Watch Dogs: Legion launched in 2020, also featuring ambitious ideas like the ability to control any NPC in the world. However, the game received mixed reviews from fans. Since then, the franchise's future has been uncertain. It seems Ubisoft wants to do more with Watch Dogs, but may be figuring out how to differentiate it from games like Grand Theft Auto 6, which is set to shake up the genre in November.

There may be more Watch Dogs games someday, but don't expect them within the next few years.