Ubisoft’s upcoming open-world hacker vigilante game Watch Dogs sounds like a very ambitious endeavor. As protagonist Aiden Pearce, players can explore an alternate version of Chicago where just about anything that uses the central operation system (ctOS) – be it ATMs, cars, traffic lights, phones, laptops, security cameras or keypads – can be hacked, and Aiden can use his hacking skills to learn basic information about anyone who passes him in the street. This means that he spends much of the time looking at his smartphone, so he probably ends up walking into a lot of lampposts.
Hacking isn’t a new element in gaming, of course, but it’s usually relegated to minigames like the “Pipe Dream” hacking mechanism in BioShock. In Watch Dogsthe hacking will be the most prominent gameplay mechanic and the most powerful weapon that Aiden has against both criminals and cops, with shooting and car-stealing taking something of a back seat. However, since computers in the real world experience bugs and glitches, fictional computer systems within a game being played on a real computer system are twice as susceptible to glitches – that’s just science.
Therefore, as a means of ironing out the rough edges of Watch Dogs and ensuring that the game runs properly in release, Ubisoft has released a statement explaining that Watch Dogs has now been delayed until spring 2014. Written by the Watch Dogs development teams, the statement explains:
“We struggled with whether we would delay the game. But from the beginning, we have adopted the attitude that we will not compromise on quality. 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.”
While this might be disappointing for those who were looking forward to playingWatch Dogs soon, the developers do offer some decent justification for it. Anyone’s who’s ever bought a game on day one only to find it full of bugs, glitches and unfinished elements knows how badly this can spoil a first playthrough, and holding off on the release is probably a lot better than the “ship now, patch later” approach. Now that the developers have been given a few extra months to work on polishing and fine-tuning, however, Watch Dogs had better run smoothly when it finally arrives.
There are other factors that probably bolstered Ubisoft’s decision to delay. As the first game in a planned franchise and a next-gen launch title, Watch Dogs needs to sell a lot of units in order to strongly establish the new property, and its former release date would have meant competing with Ubisoft’s other upcoming sandbox game, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. The Assassin’s Creed series is actually a good cautionary example of why Watch Dogs‘ extra months in development could be a positive sign, as Assassin’s Creed III in particular felt a little unfinished when it was rushed out only a year after Assassin’s Creed: Revelations.
Tell us in the comments if you think the delay is justified, or if you think that Ubisoft should have pulled Watch Dogs together in time for the original November release date.
The subject matter of Ubisoft’s new hack ‘em up Watch Dogs is uncomfortably close to home in the light of the recent NSA surveillance scandal, and there’s a distinct sense that this is being played up quite a bit in the marketing push leading up to Watch Dogs‘ fall release.
The game takes place in a slightly alternate timeline to our own, in which every electronic system and device in every major U.S. city is controlled via a centralized network called ctOS, which is intended to safeguard against security threats and ironically has the opposite effect. The game’s protagonist, Aiden Pearce, is a hacker with a chip on his shoulder, who can use his access to ctOS to control just about everything in his environment.
In theory, Aiden seems intent to use this power for some semblance of good – practicing vigilante justice to save the citizens of Chicago from victimization whilst at the same time seeking revenge for some wrongdoing he experienced in the past. One way that he carries this out – as shown in the new trailer which debuted at the Sony Gamescom conference – is by using his smartphone to unlock people’s cars and race them through the city.
For those who were looking forward to the Grand Theft Auto-esque aspects ofWatch Dogs, this trailer is a pretty exciting affair, showing chases through the streets of Chicago during which Aiden manipulates traffic lights to always be green when he approaches (now that is a useful skill). It’s always wise to be a little cautious about vehicle sections in games that aren’t primarily about driving or racing, but if the controls are handled properly then this could be an incredibly fun way to travel around Watch Dogs‘ open-world map.
Speaking of fun ways to travel, one clip shows Aiden jumping onto the back of a train and using his all-powerful phone to control it. If this is actually something that’s possible in Watch Dogs, outside of a one-off mission, then it’s certainly a more impressive alternative to travelling inside the carriage. It’s probably wise to watch out when the train goes into a tunnel, though.
It’s not all fun and games, though. The trailer features a warning from acommunity of hackers known as DedSec, who don’t seem to be very happy with Aiden’s invasion of ctOS – possibly because he’s encroaching on their territory. DedSec are that brand of secret organization who enjoy interrupting your favorite TV show (or at least the ad breaks) with fuzzy videos, and seem to be based at least in part on real-life internet collective Anonymous. It’s possible, given that there have been hints of other RPG elements and moral choice gameplay inWatch Dogs, that DedSec is a faction that Aiden can choose to ally himself with.
As the end of the trailer shows, pre-ordering Watch Dogs for PS3 or PS4 will also grant you access to 4 extra missions, totalling an extra hour of gameplay, a hacking boost perk and a “sleek and deadly DedSec white hacker suit” that makes Aiden stand out in a crowd even more than his baseball cap and face mask already do. You can get more pre-order bonuses by ordering the game from Amazon or Gamestop, which might be why Watch Dogs is currently in the top 5 most pre-ordered games of 2013.
If you were on the fence before, does this new trailer tempt you to buy Watch Dogs? If you were already convinced, have the pre-order bonuses persuaded you to buy it for PS3 or PS4?
Although we know that a lot of gamers are excited for the next-gen thanks topolls around the net, at this point we don’t know just how many gamers plan to pick up one of their two shiny new console options. Moreover, we don’t know how many players plan to forgo the current-gen versions of some fall releases, in favor of the presumably superior next-gen iterations.
Well, at least for Ubisoft, it appears that the next-gen is beating current-gen, even with games that will be available at least a month before the PS4 and Xbox Onewill be on store shelves. Apparently, the promise of next-gen technology trumps playing a game early.
According to Ubisoft, pre-order numbers for next-gen versions Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Watch_Dogs, two highly anticipated fall releases, are much higher than those for current-gen versions.
Obviously, there is going to be a transitional period as we move from current-gen titles and technology to the next-gen, but Ubisoft feels that transition might be quicker. They also anticipate Watch_Dogs and Assassin’s Creed 4 will do very well sales-wise, and could chart somewhere in the top 5 for 2013.
“The fans are really excited to get their hands on the new technology. It has been eight years without a home console from Sony or Microsoft so we feel a lot of excitement from our fans for Watch Dogs or Assassin’s Creed IV. The pre-orders we are getting are much bigger on our next-gen games.”
Watch_Dogs has a strong following behind it in part because it’s an original IP, and because it has some interesting, tech-inspired ideas. Assassin’s Creed 4, on other hand, puts players in control of a pirate assassin, and who doesn’t want that?
Publishers are also doing their part to make the transition to next-gen easier by making Season Pass subscriptions cross-gen, meaning if you buy it for one console it will translate over to its successor. Activision just announced it for Call of Duty: Ghosts, and Microsoft confirmed their Season Pass guarantee shortly after. So, at least on Xbox One – and hopefully on PS4 – Season Passes will carry over even if you purchase both versions.
Of course, we won’t know how well these titles will actually sell until they are available for purchase. Watch_Dogs releases on November 19th, which is around the time we expect the two next-gen consoles to hit. Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, on the other hand, is the more imminent of the two releases, and will hit store shelves on October 29th.
Will you be picking up either Watch_Dogs or Assassin’s Creed 4? Are there any games that you are waiting to play on next-gen consoles over current-gen?
Ubisoft’s new sandbox IP Watch Dogs depicts a world where being a tech nerd makes you a god, and where your power is limited only by your knowledge of hacking. The main character also carries a gun, though, because when push comes to shove you probably don’t want to rely on throwing your iPhone at someone’s face to knock them out.
The aforementioned protagonist is Aiden Pearce, a man of many layers (probably wise when you live in the Windy City) who is apparently part of an underground community of hackers who use their ability to manipulate the centralized citywide control network to exact vigilante justice on the no-good criminals (as opposed to the good criminals) of Chicago.
Watch Dogs is already solidly in the top 5 most pre-ordered games still to come in 2013, and to help further cement its place there Ubisoft has a released a brand new trailer that showcases some of the praise given by critics who previewed the game at E3 this year. It might have something to do with Grand Theft Auto Valso vying for top place on the pre-orders list, but there seems to be more of an emphasis on the open-world driving aspects of Watch Dogs in this trailer as well.
A second video for Watch Dogs features a celebrity cameo by actress, comedian and host Aisha Tyler, but this one is slightly underwhelming. Not only is there a slight dissonance in seeing footage from Watch Dogs with such clunky graphics, after being spoiled by trailer upon trailer of eye-blistering next-gen quality, but the slapstick punchline also falls a little flat. Perhaps it’s because we’re missing the larger context, or perhaps this is some kind of inside joke known only to Tyler and people who work at Ubisoft. Having said that, Tyler’s “personal details” are pretty amusing.
Don’t take Ubisoft to task too harshly over this second trailer, however. Creative director Jonathan Morin has explained on Twitter (the comments have since been removed, but were recorded by NeoGAF) that it was actually released by accident and that the graphics aren’t representative of the finished product. It sounds like someone let the office intern a little too close to the computers:
“Its simply someone who don’t know the tech who check the wrong stuff… So no versions here… You know sometimes 100s of people working together causes communications issues lets just say that … I see the game every day and I can tell you, this trailer is far from it…”
Another great trailer for Watch Dogs that’s only slightly tempered by the accidental spillage of the second. If only Aiden Pearce could hack Ubisoft and somehow make them release the game several months early for us.
Watch Dogs releases November 19, 2013 for the PC, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U, and will also be available for the PS4 and Xbox One.
This time last year Halo 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Assassin’s Creed III were topping the video game pre-order charts, but with the range of exciting new games on the way it’s time to take a close look at which titles that are set for release over the rest of 2013 have convinced gamers to start putting down their cash early.
Pre-order bonuses for some of the games have already been announced, such as the bonus “Free Fall” map for Call of Duty: Ghosts, the Upper Echelon edition of Splinter Cell: Blacklist, and the Commander-in-Chief edition, complete with the ‘Merica Gun and Uncle Sam suit, of Saints Row IV. There are plenty of perks to be had when pre-ordering games, and we can now get an idea of which titles are currently winning in the race for pre-order sales.
CVG has released a ranking of the most pre-ordered games to come this year, based on research conducted by data analysis firm Cowen and Co., and despite the ribbing that Infinity Ward has received for putting Riley the Dog at the centre of the promotion for Call of Duty: Ghosts, the canine comrade seems to have won gamers over. Call of Duty: Ghosts is ranked in the number 1 spot with a score of 73, though Cowen analyst Doug Creutz pointed out that the next installment is still under-performing in comparison to Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.
Perhaps one of the more surprising entries on the list is Ubisoft’s new vigilante hacker game Watch Dogs, which is ranked as the second most pre-ordered game of late 2013 with a score of 69.6. Though Watch Dogs does look great based on the gameplay footage so far, the IP is so far untested and it’s impressive that Ubisoft has garnered so many pre-orders for it without an existing fan base.
With that in mind, Watch Dogs is most likely in third place, not second place, since Creutz emphasizes that the list only reflects sales made since E3 2013. This means that the ranking for Grand Theft Auto V, which is in third place with a score of 58.4 but has been available for pre-order since November 2012, is likely to be very inaccurate (Cowen states that all other projections are between 96 and 97 percent accurate). Grand Theft Auto V may well turn out to have even more pre-orders than both Watch Dogs and Call of Duty: Ghosts.
Battlefield 4 is, somewhat appropriately, in fourth place on the list, and the highest PlayStation 4 exclusive, Killzone: Shadow Fall, is ranked slightly above the best-scoring Xbox One exclusive, Forza 5. Check out the list of the top 20 most pre-ordered games below to see if your most highly-anticipated game made the cut: Call of Duty: Ghosts (73) Watch Dogs (69.6) Grand Theft Auto V (58.4) Battlefield 4 (54.7) Killzone: Shadow Fall (30.3) Assassin’s Creed IV (29.2) Forza 5 (18.8) Diablo III (18.2) Batman: Arkham Origins (17.2) Dead Rising 3 (15.0) Ryse (13.2) Saints Row IV (10.1) Knack (7.7) Gran Turismo 6 (5.0) Beyond: Two Souls (3.3) Wolfenstein: The New Order (3.2) Drive Club (3.0) Splinter Cell: Blacklist (2.9) The Bureau: Xcom Declassified (0.4) South Park: The Stick of Truth (0.2)
Let us know which games you’ve pre-ordered or are planning to pre-order this year in the comments. Alternatively, if you never pre-order games then tell us what puts you off the idea.
A stand out title when it was revealed at E3 2012, Ubisoft Montreal’s new gameWatch Dogs continues to capture interest from potential players – exceeding already high expectations with an impressive gameplay demo at E3 2013. While the interconnected (and hackable) world of the title has been an intriguing setup from the time of its announcement – which also included a brief, albeit very mysterious, tease at multiplayer. Surprisingly, few details were revealed over the course of the subsequent year, and even though the E3 2013 demo gave us a taste of the combat as well as competitive online functionality, there are still a lot of Watch Dogs questions left to be answered.
However, that doesn’t mean the Ubisoft PR team has gone dark. Now that E3 is behind them, with a November 19th release date looming head, the developer is offering answers to questions from the latest round of gameplay demos – presumably before they start ramping up pre-launch reveals and marketing.
In an effort to address some of the biggest “frequently asked questions,” Ubisoft Communications Associate Anne Lewis took to the developer’s blog and offered-up some intriguing behind-the-scenes insight. Lewis touches on a number of subjects, including the game’s gorgeous Disrupt engine, immersive environmental effects, dynamic AI inhabitants, and robust reputation system, so make sure to check out the full article over at the Official Ubisoft Blog.
That said, one of the more interesting answers provided was in regard to concerns that Watch Dogs‘ open-world multiplayer might actually have a negative impact on the single player experience. Lewis points out that the balance between multiplayer and campaign experiences have been carefully considered and the team included plenty of options to ensure that a gamer’s immersion (and fun) isn’t ruined by invading online players:
“When you’re in your game, you won’t see other players just running around wreaking havoc [...] The only time another player will actually enter your world is when they accept a contract with your name on it. From there they can creep through your city streets, stalking you until they decide to strike. They will appear to you as any other Chicagoan, just like you would appear nondescript to them should you invade their game. There will never be two Aidens on the screen.”
“Though the engine is built with this connectivity in mind, it can be turned off for players who prefer to explore unhindered by any outside influences. The multiplayer will also be unavailable during story missions, so you don’t need to worry about hackers while you’re in the middle of an important moment.”
Among players who are interested in the title, the frequency and implementation of outside players invading the campaign was a chief concern. It’s a relief to know that the multiplayer elements will be somewhat subtle and won’t allow online players to interrupt advancement in single player missions or story progression. Similarly, it’s not a stretch to imagine that some Watch Dogs gamers will not want to bother (or be bothered) with the hacking multiplayer mechanic, so it’s good to hear the feature can also be disabled entirely.
In addition, Lewis mitigated rumors that current-generation gamers would be missing key Watch Dogs features (features that would only be available on PS4and Xbox One) - promising that PS3 and Xbox 360 gamers would not be missing any features:
“There are no trimmed-down mechanics to make you feel as though you are missing out on the core experience. Watch Dogs is truly a next-gen game – not just in terms of offering cutting edge graphical performance on the next generation of consoles, but also when it comes to the gameplay, the immersion and the seamless online experience.”
Still, Lewis also made sure to toe the company line and tout the benefits of Disrupt engine on next-generation hardware, quoting Senior Producer Dominic Guay:
“Players are going to know they aren’t getting a bad experience if they play Watch Dogs for the current gen, but the next gen is the real HD experience. You can zoom in another level. You can have better shaders, better simulation on the wind or the water, more particles, better atmospherics… Basically anything you can get with more computing power.”
No doubt, many gamers are planning to play Watch Dogs on the PS4 or Xbox One (though you’d better hurry, console pre-orders are selling out) but it’s good to know that Ubisoft fans who aren’t ready to take the next-generation plunge will still get to enjoy the developer’s latest game without any significant alterations.
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Watch Dogs releases November 19, 2013 for the PC, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U, and will also be available for the PS4 and Xbox One.
Follow me on Twitter @benkendrick for further updates on Watch Dogs as well as future movie, TV, and gaming news.
Last week we took a deeper look into Ubisoft’s upcoming new IP Watch_Dogs, and after watching half an hour of gameplay on the PS4 and hearing a little more about the game’s multiplayer features, we spoke with Producer Dominic Guay about the game’s protagonist and some of the features players can expect.
Watch Dogs aims to more than just another sandbox game with cars, and not because of its hacking elements, but because of how detailed and refined itsgameplay mechanics are and how comprehensive its feature list is. From hacking into everything you could think of, to downloading apps and augmented reality games on your in-game phone, collecting money and cars through online theft, to an open-world sandbox that players explore on their own and online in seamless multiplayer.
We’ve only seen brief bits of Watch Dogs and much of it remains hidden in secrecy. Media nor the public have had a chance to get hands-on with the title so everything we do know is from very controlled marketing and event showcases. From what has been intentionally and calculatingly revealed thus far, Watch Dogs looks impressive and from what Dominic Guay hints to us, there’s much more to come.
Tell us about Aiden Pearce and his goals in Watch Dogs.
People close to him [Aiden] got hurt because of the life he decided to live. So it is in part because of his way of living because he was involved in pretty shady things. Now he wants to make sure it doesn’t happen again and that’s how he becomes a little bit obsessed with surveillance. And actually there’s a side of him that wants vengeance. He wants retribution for what happened.
So that’s his initial thrust. That’s how the player is going to get into Watch_Dogs. What happens is as he grows his ability for surveillance he starts noticing a lot of other things happening in the city. He looks into a camera sees what’s happening there or taps into someone’s camera, you start finding other crises happening and he’s basically going to start losing himself in those things, basically mixing his own goals with these other things happening. And so that’s how it’s going to open up… I don’t want to spoil anything.
Let’s talk about that, then. Aiden’s ability to surveil is a progression system of sorts?
Yes, absolutely. There is not only progression in the economy – if you want more tools, more weapons, etc. – but you might have noticed that he gains XP in the demo. We didn’t talk about it, but it happened and the player will be able to acquire new skills and decide how he wants Aiden to level up through the story. Also, part of the progression is putting backdoors in the ctOS. So there’s many layers of progression: how you start putting backdoors into the ctOS for your control over the city, there’s your player and how he progresses with new skills – and you’re in control of both of these things. And also the economy; how you acquire more means and you buy new tools.
With the economy and the weapons, is there a progression system there? Is there any sort of crafting with weapons, and even with Aiden’s attire – he has a very unique look. Will players be able to customize?
Crafting, definitely. Players can craft their weapons and it’s part of the economy. It’s fueled by many things, including money. As for clothing I guess you can expect to be able to buy clothes in a city. I’ll leave it at that.
You mentioned that Aiden comes from a dark past and that he will come across other characters who can help but who may have different motivations and goals. Can you talk about any of the other characters, good or bad?
I don’t want to go into detail on those characters because that would definitely spoil the story but the point Kevin [the writer] was trying to make is that he’s not a lone wolf. Even though we haven’t given him room to speak in the demos we’ve shown so far, he’s a guy who is able to be charming and he’s able to his charm to get his way. A hacker will do that. It’s not just about a guy behind a keyboard, coding, right?
He has allies too, but like Kevin said, those people have their own agenda and so the relationship isn’t going to be them working for him as slaves, so there’s a dynamic there at play.
Are there antagonists that have similar hacking abilities as Aiden?
I won’t go into that but I will say this: If Aiden can control ctOS and if he’s able to hack, he may not be the only one. We actually already pointed out that other players will be able to do that in each other’s games.
Are the other players also their own Aiden Pearce or are they their own multiplayer character?
When we talk more about the multiplayer, things will clarify a bit. But I can say this: there’s never going to be two Aiden Pearces crossing path, so there are other characters at play and that involves the multiplayer, obviously.
Game Rant attended a preview presentation for Ubisoft’s for foray into the next-generation of gaming, the ambitious new IP, Watch_Dogs. We were given some background information on the game and its goals, followed by 30-minute gameplay demo played on the PlayStation 4 and its new DualShock controller.
As exemplified in its reveal video at E3 2012 and in the mysterious gameplay demos since, Watch_Dogs is built around the idea that everyone is connected. Social media, connected technology and a desire for citywide efficiency has led to what are known as smart cities. Watch_Dogs takes place in a near-future alternate version of Chicago which has its infrastructure, systems and services all operated by a central computer known as ctOS.
Who controls ctOS? Private corporations. This means that the everyday lives of citizens are constantly monitored and tracked. The system can essentially learn everything about someone since people are essentially data chunks on a grid. The information gathered therefore can be used to influence people and this idea is hinted at being central to the story of Watch_Dogs, a story we still know little about.
Players take on the role of hacker extraordinaire Aiden Pearce who’s shady activities in the past resulted in something bad happening to his family, something so bad that it’s changed his goals in life. He wants revenge and has become obsessed with his ability to engage in surveillance through hacking ctOS and the personal devices of everyday people. By doing so, Aiden is able to observe other daily crimes and bad happenings and this begins his vigilantism. What if he sees an innocent being mugged? Aiden (the player) can hero up and take action, can ignore it all together, or can take it too far by engaging with lethal force. All of these actions fall within the grey area of morality and player choice, and as such all have repercussions because in a connected world, a vigilante killer or a nonlethal vigilante like Batman would be spotlighted in mainstream and social media. That’s exactly what happens during Watch_Dogs and the people of Chicago react differently depending on the type of reputation Pearce earns throughout the game.
For the hands-off gameplay demo, we were intentionally not shown any missions as to not spoil the game or reveal details about its characters and story. Instead, we were told that the best way to see Watch_Dogs is to explore it without restraints or a guide. The demo began with Aiden walking in “The Wards” – the poorest and most crime-filled neighborhood in Chicago.
The player character can remain inconspicuous, throwing on a mask to cover his face and when a gun is drawn, positioning it behind his back or leg as to not alert passersby. “Dynamicism” was one of the core pillars of the demo session, an idea that represents natural moments and reactions, not scripted ones. In this example, Aiden can point his gun towards someone. They’ll freak out, one may get brave enough to call the police. Aiden can knock the phone out of their hand, hack to prevent the alerting of police or let the call go through. There are many other ways of dealing with the situation.
The Wards
When the call goes through the police scanners appear on the map as they use the ctOS system to attempt to locate Aiden. Leaving the area to evade is one option, debugging to remove the scan is another, or if the cops have already arrived, attempting to get out of their line of site and engaging in stealth driving is another. In the latter section of the demo we were shown a bit of all these options, with the most time spent on an actual car chase to emphasize the gameplay features of hacking into traffic lights and road blocks to throw cars off course.
How does a player manage these abilities while in the midst of a high-speed chase or firefight? This is where the “Focus System” takes place. Think of it as a stamina bar that represents Aiden’s street smarts. With it, players can slow down time to look around the area for opportunities, hackable objects and plan a course of action. It can also be used in firefights to land precise shots.
Aiden has access to surveillance reports/police scanners that’ll add indicators to the map. These are instanced side-quests that can be entirely ignored. If the player is interested, they can walk up and find out what’s up or use Aiden’s abilities to monitor the situation through surveillance. But before these types of events or missions show up and before Aiden can walk the streets, hacking into anything and everything, the player must insert a “backdoor” into a ctOS control center for that area. This is where Watch_Dogs replicates the familiar tropes of their own sandbox franchises. The control centers are essentially the same as outposts in Far Cry 3 or towers in the Assassin’s Creed games and when they’re unlocked, players not only have access to the surveillance systems of that area, but the police’s crime prediction system as well.
A lot of the elements and mechanics at play may feel similarly familiar and that’s because they are. Driving cars, using cover, stealth movement, distracting or shooting enemies, using a phone as a mission hub or GPS system, playing music, etc. are not new. How they’re polished, fleshed out, weaved together and made more interesting with added layers in Watch_Dogs are why its core gameplay is so interesting and exciting.
Everything gamers expect from playing Grand Theft Auto and Sleeping Dogs, to Ubisoft’s own titles, is there. Any object, even moving cars, can be used as cover. Players unlock cars remotely without ever needing to break a window. Aiden can free-run right over similar obstacles and can even climb up on buildings, taking a note from the Assassin’s Creed playbook. If there’s a guard standing by an electronic fence, the player can activate it remotely to distract the target. The same goes for garage doors and road barriers, which players can activate on the fly while driving. Don’t like the music playing at a shop? Hack into it and replace it with your own song. Want more songs? Buy them with in-game cash on your phone through an app. Don’t want to pay for it? Hack it to get it. Want other apps? Get them.
We were told there will be apps for plenty of legal and illegal things, and players can expect many useful apps that we have in real life. As for the hacking, to exemplify how deep it can go, we watched a segment where Aiden was able to hack into a building’s free wi-fi, granting access to anyone using it inside the building. From there we were able to look inside of an apartment through someone’s laptop webcam and through it, could see someone on a couch and a tablet on a docking station. So we hacked the tablet and could now see through its camera, noticing a smartphone on the coffee table which contained pertinent license and registration info on that person’s car. We can now trade that intel, allowing car thieves to re-plate the car. This is just one facet of how the player can grow their own vehicle collection.
One of the most notable new features showcase during the demo was the Augmented Reality (AR) system. While walking downtown we noticed some odd looking NPCs. They looked that way because they were playing AR games on their smartphones, seeing and reacting to things we could not. As an example, we were shown an alien invasion game which added odd creatures falling from the sky attacking pedestrians that only we could see. It’s the player’s job to shoot them with imaginary weapons. Keep in mind, only Aiden (the player) can see it, so to others, it’s going to look odd. The smartphone is a hub of sorts and it can be expanded as players progress with added features, apps, etc.
Who is Clara?
We weren’t shown it in detail but players earn experience (XP) by playing the game and can unlock skills. This is just one element of progression that goes alongside increasing Aiden’s surveillance abilities, weapon and item acquisition, and reputation. There’s an economy at play so players will need to “earn” cash. Glove boxes of cars can be looted, and Aiden can hack into the back accounts of everyday people. He can then use that money in a variety of ways, from app purchases to spending it at shops. At pawn shops for instance, players can buy items that can be used for crafting, since Aiden’s also a bit of an engineer. At one point in the demo we saw Aiden use a crafted remote explosive and a distraction device. It’s also safe to assume from our conversation with the devs that players can customize the attire Aiden wears.
That brings us to the next big reveal: Watch_Dogs not only has a full single-player campaign, but it also features full open-world multiplayer in the very same city of Chicago. We weren’t shown gameplay of this but it was explained that in every demo of the game shown so far, including the E3 one, they’ve hinted at this reality by including a scene of someone watching Aiden through a security camera or showing another player entirely.
Details are being kept under wraps for the time being, but we do know there will be overlap from multiplayer to the single-player and that also bridging the seamless gap will be the game’s companion app that was shown briefly behind-closed-doors to us at last year’s E3. It will literally put the control of the city of Chicago in the players’ hands thanks to ctOS. Players will be able to build their own multiplayer character since we were told, guardedly, that there will never be two Aiden Pearces crossing paths.
We saw no multiplayer, no story missions, none of the supporting characters and we didn’t even hear Aiden have a conversation. We did see a highly polished third-person experience that draws inspiration from the best games of the genre, but thrown for an interesting twist and it assured us that Watch_Dogs, while still shrouded in secrecy, has the potential to distance itself from other games. Its timely themes and concepts couldn’t be more relevant as Watch Dogsreprsents Ubisoft’s first project developed with the next-gen in mind.
Watch_Dogs was known internally by the codename “Nexus” (its logo is still featured on Aiden’s scarf in-game) and has maintained its core 15-20 staff since it began development four-and-a-half years ago, growing to include five different Ubisoft studios. Because of this, despite the sheer size of the project and teams working on it, the core vision of the project has remained consistent since the outset.
The biggest takeaway of the demo is the realization that everything players feel they should be able to do as someone having the abilities and access Aiden does, they can actually do. At least from what we’ve seen in the limited reveals. The usual restrictions or gameplay limitations in third-person sandbox games aren’t evident and that – without even knowing the game’s mysterious story – is in itself, the most exciting prospect of the new IP. It learns from all the other games, takes all the best elements and aims to include them all, but better and different.
While we know that Sony has plenty of exciting titles in development for the PS4, it’s unclear how many of those games will be available at launch. As Nintendo can attest, a console needs solid launch content in order to hit the ground running.
And thankfully, according to Sony’s Mark Cerny, the PS4 will have just that. As a matter of fact, Cerny believes the PS4′s launch line-up is stronger than any prior PlayStation hardware’s line-up.
While Cerny couldn’t give a title count, he did reveal that the strong line-up was formed, in part, because of developers’ familiarity with the hardware. As Sony revealed at their PlayStation 4 meeting, the new console will feature tech that can be found in most PCs, with a few additional bells and whistles of course.
“The launch lineup for PlayStation 4 — though I unfortunately can’t give the title count — is going to be stronger than any prior PlayStation hardware. And that’s a result of that familiarity.”
Cerny believes that most developers will devote a large portion of the console’s GPU strictly to graphics at first. However, by the middle of the console’s life cycle he thinks developers will become more familiar with the console, and will be able to share the GPU’s power between graphics and compute, meaning games will not only look great but play great as well.
“There are many, many ways to control how the resources within the GPU are allocated between graphics and compute. Of course, what you can do, and what most launch titles will do, is allocate all of the resources to graphics. And that’s perfectly fine, that’s great. It’s just that the vision is that by the middle of the console lifecycle, that there’s a bit more going on with compute.”
If trailers for games like inFAMOUS: Second Son or Killzone: Shadow Fall are any indication, games will most definitely look great. Ironically, both of those games are Ps4 launch titles.
So while we are no closer to uncovering the PS4′s full launch line-up, the promise of the strongest lineup yet should get Sony fans excited. Yes, that day 1 selection will likely include a high end PC ports, but there’s also hopefully a few Sony exclusives (Uncharted, God of War) in the pipeline. We should hear more about those games during Sony’s E3 2013 press conference.
Do you think that the PS4 will have the strongest launch line-up for a PlayStation console? What do you hope to see available on day 1?
Sony has not set a release date for the PS4, but it should be out before Christmas 2013.
After Adam Orth’s comments about an always-online console, and how gamers should deal with it – followed by the Microsoft Creative Director’s resignation(firing) – it’s safe to say that topic is a bit of a taboo at the moment. That’s not stopping Ubisoft Montreal’s CEO Yannis Mallat from saying that when it comes to always-online devices, “The audience is ready.”
So, while gamers everywhere want nothing more than to see Microsoft abandon any always-online plans with the Xbox 720 (Durango), Mallat feels that now is the time to deliver experiences that are more connected than ever. However, he does clarify by saying that the various kinks associated with an always-online infrastructure – kinks very explicitly identified by SimCity – need to be worked out first.
In an interview with The Guardian, Mallat explained some of the exciting new ideas that Ubisoft’s forthcoming title Watch_Dogs will explore. Specifically, he referenced the ways in which the game will keep the experience active, even while gamers are away from their console.
This, of course, prompted The Guardian to inquire as to Mallat’s feelings about an always-online next-gen console, and the various pitfalls that come with exploring such an idea. Mallat responded by saying:
“…As soon as players don’t have to worry, then they will only take into account the benefits that [always-online] services bring. And I agree, these services need to provide clear benefits. It’s important to be able to provide direct connections between us and our consumers, whether that’s extra content or online services, a lot of successful games have that.”
It’s important to point out that Mallat pre-empts his response by saying that when players don’t have to worry then they can enjoy an always-online future. That’s the major crux of this whole issue, though; most games that require always-online infrastructures have crashed and burned. Diablo 3 was the first sign that we were not ready, and SimCity reinforced that idea.
Nevertheless, Mallat feels that gamers are ready. When asked if we are ready for always-online consoles, he said:
“Well, that’s a question you should put to Microsoft and Sony! I would say that a lot of people are already always online through other devices – I would suspect that the audience is ready.”
Ironically, Mallat’s comments about gamers being ready for an always-online console have us wondering why the PS4 doesn’t support such a feature. After all,Sony reportedly consulted heavily with Ubisoft when developing their next-gen console.
Perhaps Sony found it to be in their best interest to avoid gamer backlash heading into the next-gen, and more importantly pick their battles. While Microsoft – the clear victor between the two in the current-gen in online features – has a little more leeway it seems. Sony likely wants to avoid connections with an always-online infrastructure, especially after their service was down for a whole month last year. And for Microsoft there’s no guarantee they can make such a move without disappointing a large contingent of gamers, but something about their position in the console space (maybe they feel Xbox Live is a more reliable service) suggests they are willing to take a very bold leap of faith by unveiling a very unpopular feature.
Still, we won’t know until Microsoft officially shows off the machine, but several different sources suggest the Xbox 720 might require an Internet connection at all times. However, that feature might not be as prohibitive as it seems.
Do you think an always-online requirement will ever work as advertised? Does growing support among game developers lead you to believe the Xbox 720 will support such a feature?
It’s one of our most anticipated games of 2013 (and a godsend for the Wii U), and Ubisoft‘s first venture into truly next-gen open world game design. And now,Watch_Dogs has a face to put to the name, as the official box art has been released. Unfortunately the platforms set to host the game are still not completely confirmed, as only the PC, Wii U and PlayStation 3 covers have been shown, meaning an idea of the PlayStation 4 case design is still elusive.
If this means that the Xbox 720 won’t be releasing by Holiday 2013, or Ubisoft is simply letting Microsoft keep things quiet isn’t clear, but there’s one thing we do know: the hero of Watch_Dogs, Aiden Pearce, will be of use to anyone who needs to make a phone call. Or kill somebody.
Hot on the heels of an impressive showing at Sony’s PS4 announcement event, those already interested in the blend of environment interactions and gunplay now know which poster and image to look out for.
And in case anyone had been concerned that the next-gen gameplay would demand some entirely new skills or nebulous approach to stealth and combat, the box art makes it clear that Watch_Dogs will be a suitable adventure to any third-person shooter fan, on any platform.
Take a look at the Watch_Dogs cover art below:
We were expecting something a bit more connected to the near-future-technophobia themes the game will be drawing on (we’re still fans of theartwork seen on the leaked pre-order posters), but there’s no denying that a pistol-brandishing outlaw with a covered face will attract mainstream attention. The smartphone in hand makes Pearce seem somewhat of a modern cowboy, even if we wouldn’t recommend that those hoping to evade detection should walk down busy city streets with a gun in hand (especially in this day and age).
We don’t know exactly what it means when a publisher decides to feature firearms (a mainstay and no-brainer in most modern shooters) over the story and innovation of a game, since the box art for BioShock Infinite was widely criticized by fans for capturing little of the game’s spirit and aesthetic. Aiden Pearce’s phone gives a sense of the non-bullet-fueled elements of the game, but marketing Watch_Dogs as a shooter, first and foremost, seems top priority.
Irrational Games pointed to recognition from casual gamers as their reason for sporting a gun-toting hero, and it’s likely the same story here. ConsideringUbisoft’s lofty plans for the future of the Watch_Dogs name, they’ll need as many sales as possible come this holiday season.
Anyone who doubts that the game isn’t capable of garnering enough attention on its own need only watch the newest gameplay demo from Sony’s PS4 event. The demo has since been confirmed to be running not on a PS4, but a PC built to PS4 specifications. If the finished console even comes close, fans are in for a treat:
What do you think of the box art? Were you hoping for something different, or is Aiden Pearce the kind of hacker killer you’re looking to get to know better? Sound off in the comments.
Watch_Dogs is anticipated for a late 2013 release. Confirmed platforms include the Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, Wii U and PC.
The most impressive and ambitious game of E3 2012 has now officially added itself to the next-gen roster. Following the unveiling of the PlayStation 4 at Sony’s Future of PlayStation event today, Ubisoft’s Yves Guillemot took the stage to confirm that Watch Dogs, as many had already anticipated, will be releasing as a launch title for the future console. A later Ubisoft press memo also announced the game for release on Nintendo’s Wii U.
Coinciding with the announcement was the brand new Watch Dogs gameplay demo viewable above (ostendibly running on the PS4). E3 introduced us to Watch Dogs’s cyber-savvy protagonist, Aiden Pearce, who can hack into any electronic device connected to Chicago’s central operating system and leverage it for his own ends. The demo that premiered today begins with Aiden as a wanted fugitive — perhaps for the elaborate assassination he orchestrated during our initial glimpse of the game — who still appears to be on the prowl for lowlifes and miscreants.
As the camera swoops over the Chicago River, glistening in the daytime sun and flanked on both sides by towering skyscrapers, an impressive sense of magnitude is conveyed by the game that’s impossible to avoid mentioning: It feels distinctly next-gen. But Watch Dogs clearly aims to thrive on the smaller details as well. Finite bits of information begin displaying around Aiden the second we arrive over his shoulder. Using a device Ubisoft calls “the Profiler,” he taps NPC cell phones, hacks an ATM and scrambles a security camera. Vital, even intimate, personal data about targets begins streaming onto the screen, and before we know it the scene flows from unassuming street walk to reconnaissance mission to heated chase sequence.
When the demo hits this new gear, it brings Watch Dogs’s gameplay into another dimension. Gone is the predatory sleuthing; Aiden now harnesses his abilities — both technological and physiological — to run down his fleeing prey and then escape from the police himself. He skirts through a storefront interior, gliding over a table like Connor in Assassin’s Creed 3 (though whether or not this sequence is similarly pre-rendered is unclear), and eventually hacks a distant fuse box to knock down his target. He hacks a set of street bollards to destroy one pursing police car and enters a time-slowing phase to shoot the tire of another. For his coup d’état, Aiden overrides the controls of an oncoming L train, forcing it to a brief stop while climbing onto the roof and riding away to safety.
The demo doesn’t conclude with a Watch Dogs release date, but pre-order posters that leaked last week for the game advertised availability by the 2013 Holiday season. Coincidentally, in advertising the game for “all home consoles,” the posters also foreshadowed both Watch Dog’s Wii U confirmation today and Sony’s Holiday 2013 window for the release of the PlayStation 4. It’s hardly surprising that Watch Dogs is being planned as a next-gen launch title, and today alone has us confident that it will be more than ready.
What did you think of today’s new Watch Dogs gameplay demo?
Watch Dogs is anticipated for a late 2013 release. Confirmed platforms include the Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, Wii U and PC, although an Xbox 720 version is almost certainly waiting in the wings.
Like crossing west over the International Date Line, crossing into the next generation of gaming consoles can leave developers and publishers in a strange, somewhat perplexing state of dilemma. How much longer should you focus on rapidly-outdating systems, cozy in the confines of a decade’s experience. And how willing are you to leave it all behind, embracing the reality that a new day has dawned?
Initially — and because for some it also makes perfect business sense — many triple-A studios are apt to target both generations. We expect it from Call of Duty, it’s already been confirmed for Bungie’s Destiny (which gets unveiled this Sunday!), and now it appears that Watch Dogs — Ubisoft’s open-world cyberpunk adventure thriller which dazzled at last year’s E3 — will be playing to the platform panopoly when it releases in late 2013.
Screens of a new Watch Dogs promotional poster have surfaced on Kotaku (click below to enlarge). The front side loudly advertises the game as a Holiday 2013 release set to be “available on all consoles;” the rear portion presents a quote from G4 proclaiming it as a “truly next-gen adventure.” With late 2013 believed by many to be the advent of Microsoft and Sony’s next consoles (or at the very least, one of the two’s); with Watch Dogs believed by many to be destined as a next-gen title the instant it appeared on the E3 stage, shimmering with graphically rich environments, textures, human animations and shootouts; we’d say it’s quite apparent that Ubisoft is developing its Chicago-set cyber-hacker for systems both known and presently awaiting reveal.
But there is still the question of what, exactly, “all home consoles” means. Obviously, the family of Xboxs, the family of PlayStations and the family of Wiis could be construed as “home consoles.” But by the end of 2013, what of theOuya (expected to release in June)? What of Project Shield (expected to release in Q2 2013)? What of the Steam console (expected to release… well, whenever Valve finishes it)? It’s a surprisingly peculiar term, “home consoles” — broad, ambiguous, and subject to change within the very near future.
And Ubisoft didn’t attempt to downplay any speculation when responding to the leaked photos, either. Here’s the statement given by Tony Key, Ubisoft senior VP of sales and marketing, regarding whether Watch Dogs has been confirmed for any particular platform:
“Ubisoft is pleased with the response for Watch Dogs from media and fans. The game is an original IP that has been created from the ground up at Ubisoft Montreal with inspiration from many titles and ideas the studio has worked on throughout the years.”
Deflective? Maybe. But perhaps the posters tell most of the story anyway. Casting players as Aiden Pierce — an anti-heroic hacker-extraordinaire capable ofmanipulating any computer device connected to a near-future Chicago’s “central operating system” – Watch Dogs undisputedly stole the show at E3 2012 by teasing a compelling crime-drama narrative, immensely deep gameplay, high-powered action and, as mentioned, a veritable next-gen vibe.
However Ubisoft’s “inspirations” and “ideas” come to fruition this Holiday, we hope the distribution of pre-order posters — similar to the way Bungie appears to be rolling out Destiny — suggests that more Watch Dogs details are well on their way. Could Ubisoft be gearing up to reveal more at Sony’s February 20th press event — perhaps with a brand new demo to accompany a PlayStation 4 reveal?
Watch Dogs releases in late 2013 for PC, PS3, Xbox 360… and anything else Ubisoft deems a home console at the time.
One of the few major surprise announcements at E3 2012 came from Ubisoft’s press conference where they first unveiled gameplay for Watch Dogs, their upcoming open-world sci-fi action game. This isn’t your typical Grand Theft Auto however, and aside from driving cars and using bullet-time and cover mechanics during shootouts, the core features of the game have protagonist Aiden Pearce hacking into any electronic system tied to the Chicago’s central operating system (CTOS).
Most of the gameplay showcased so far focused on Pearce’s abilities, from hacking into the mobile phones of everyone around him and scanning people to learn their identities, to causing a car accident by changing the street lights at an intersection to stop a fleeing enemy. The in-game footage looked good enough that there was speculation that Watch Dogs could be a next-gen launch title for Ubisoft, and looking at the latest screenshot from the game, we can understand why people would think that.
The latest screenshot features a simple shot of the downtown environment. It’s just people living their daily lives on the street, but in the case of the visuals presented in Watch Dogs, that’s enough to get lost in while staring at the details.
For, the previously released Watch Dogs screenshots are below that you may have seen before so you can see just how incredibly detailed protagonist Aiden Pearce looks, along with the cars and other people in the city of Chicago.
Development on Watch Dogs must have been secretly in the works for a long time and even when I walked through the massive complex at Ubisoft Montreal back in February, there wasn’t even a hint of this when we were there to preview Far Cry 3. With Rayman Origins bringing back that franchise, paving the way for Rayman Legends, and Tom Clancy’s lineup making a big return with Ghost Recon: Future Soldier earlier this year and Splinter Cell: Blacklist and Rainbow 6: Patriots on the way, not to mention Far Cry 3 and Assassin’s Creed 3, Ubisoft has a tremendous lineup of upcoming blockbusters, many of which are also in early development for film adaptations. Even Watch Dogs has a few film-related domains registered.
Watch Dogs releases in 2013 for unconfirmed platforms but Ubisoft’s press site listed PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.
If you’re like me, you were probably shouting at your screen to take your money by the time Ubisoft’s press conference had finished. There’s no question thatWatch Dogs stole the show at E3 last week, and the big question on everyone’s mind remains, “When do I get to play it?”
The bad news: not until next year. The good news, however, is that it could be primed for next-gen consoles as well as current generation.
Watch Dogs is Ubisoft Montreal’s latest open-world action title, and based on ourWatch Dogs E3 preview, there is little doubt that it will stand along side theAssassin’s Creed franchise as a powerful new series for the award-winning developer. Instead of retracing ancestral memories, however, this new independent product introduces players to Aiden Pearce, an expert in information warfare, hacking, and blowing things up. Pearce is a classic anti-hero with a chip on his shoulder for the Central Operating System — “ctOS” for short. From what we have seen so far, players will be using the system against those who depend on it, to access information, blackmail powerful people, and start large firefights in the middle of busy intersections.
Could Aiden Pearce be a new household name for Ubisoft’s impressive franchise list? Only time will tell.
While Watch Dogs hasn’t received a concrete release date, its official Twitter account wrote, “The game will be released in 2013 and will be on released on PC and consoles.” Interestingly enough, the original Twitter status has since been removed; however, the game was also confirmed for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 by CEO Yves Guillemot – who, when asked about the possibility for a next-gen release, simply said, “We’ll see.” While this is a typical response for such a loaded question, luck shone on players awaiting PlayStation: All-Stars on the PS Vita, who only a few weeks ago heard a very similar answer.
Ranters, I don’t think I need to ask if you’re excited for Ubisoft’s new title, but is it possible we will see a next-gen release in 2013?
Watch Dogs is currently in development by Ubisoft Montreal, and is set to release sometime in 2013 for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360… so far.
Unveiled with all the pomp and spectacle of a damp squib, Microsoft’s Xbox One announcement did at least acknowledge the console’s existence. Now with the last of the next-gen Kings crowned, attention turns to which development houses will declare where, for whom and with what titles.
Back in March, Game Rant confirmed that the Thief series would make its long-awaited return on both PC and PlayStation 4 platforms. Today, developer Eidos Montreal added Microsoft’s latest behemoth to that list (check out Thief trailer here). Not to be outdone by the venerable old franchise, Xbox regulars Bungie Studios also announced their Destiny project for the Xbox One, confirming information that was leaked late last year.
Debuting a decade on from the series’ previous installment, Thief returns players to the nameless steampunk setting of ‘The City’, to duke it out with, steal from and sleuth around the game’s various aristocratic enemies. Slipping back into the tippy-toed shoes of franchise favorite Garrett, (along with his controversial new voice) gamers must utilize every inch of whit to unravel a citywide conspiracy and save the medieval-like metropolis from ruin.
There’s no word as of yet on just how Thief plans to incorporate the Xbox One’s already confusing, always-online functionality. However, considering the game’s simultaneous development on current-gen consoles, any changes made are likely to be minimal. Use of the Xbox One’s new Kinect technology also remains up-in-the-air, with the title’s cross-platform design likely spelling doom for any couch-bound cat burglars in training.
In contrast to Thief’s secretive bent, Bungie has been far more forthcoming about their adoption of always-online tech. The studio announced their ‘shared-world shooter’ Destiny back in February, before facing down a SimCity-like backlashover the game’s tech the following March. Oddly enough, they’ve not said anything official yet on a PC version of the title.
The title, Bungie’s first foray onto consoles since 2010′s Halo: Reach takes place on an embattled future Earth, one in which humankind’s rapid expansion across the stars has provoked an unprecedented wave of alien aggression. With mankind on the brink of total annihilation, a mysterious moon like object appears from above, protecting the planet and bestowing unbelievable powers upon humanity’s last protectors.
With plenty of speculation surrounding Destiny’s graphical quality (were those tech demos and screens taken from next-gen consoles?) as well as Thief‘s tumultuous development process, both games are certain to beg questions of gamers right up until their speculative 2014 release dates.
Destiny debuts on Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360 & PS3 in 2014. Thief sneaks onto PC, PS4 & Xbox One in 2014
Despite numerous reveals and news stories suggesting the complete opposite, all is not well in the house of Thief. Yes, the game was officially unveiled last month, leading most to assume the long-gestating project was finally on track, but that is apparently not the case.
In fact, the game’s development has been plagued with numerous departures of both senior and junior team members, escalating production costs, and intra-office politicking. Needless to say, while Thief looks great, it’s behind the scenes work is an ugly affair.
According to a source for Polygon, development at Eidos Montreal has been rocky at best. While the Deus Ex: Human Revolution team has been basking in the glow of releasing a critically acclaimed and financially successful “reboot,” theThief team has been on the outside looking in. As Polygon explains, the lead and senior design roles on Thief were fluid, meaning that it was not uncommon for a team member to up and leave. In fact, as Thief‘s promotional tour was ramping up with the Game Informer cover story, Lead Game Designer Dominic Fleury departed the studio.
Now, studio departures aren’t always cause for concern, sometimes they are part of the process, but the way in which these exits impact development is a bit alarming. Apparently, with each new hire comes a changing of the guard, so to speak, with old ideas being replaced by new ones. Basically, the game can’t find solid footing without a solid and unified development team first, which Thiefreportedly doesn’t have just yet.
Polygon’s source also cites several other problematic areas including an unwillingness by team members to create a sequence with “Cinemax-level” sex, and a demo that took nearly 10 months to develop. That demo – the same one showcased at this year’s Game Developer’s Conference – required input from the full breadth of Eidos Montreal’s team just to get finished.
However, because the core Thief game has changed so much over time, and perhaps because Eidos wanted to put their best foot forward, that GDC demo won’t actually load inside Thief‘s version of Unreal Engine 3. That means that the game on display at GDC, is not indicative of the current iteration of Thief.
At one point, Eidos Montreal toyed with the idea of releasing the demo to the public to give gamers a better sense of the game, but that idea has apparently been scrapped after the publisher was unhappy with the captured footage. Eidos does have plans to showcase the game at this year’s E3, but it’s unclear at this point whether that presentation will feature a new demo or the same one.
So, while fans petition for the return of Stephen Russell, there may be bigger issues to worry about than changing voice actors.
Does Thief‘s development troubles give you cause for concern? Will Thief ever see the light of day?
Thief is reportedly still on track for a 2014 release on the PC, PS4, and other next-gen consoles.
Any fresh addition to a much-loved game series that carries the “reboot” label is bound to be met with a degree of wariness by fans, especially if it comes almost a decade after the release of the last game, as Eidos Montreal’s new steal ‘em upThief does. The developers have promised that they’re staying true to the spirit of the game, with the focus remaining on a single-player campaign and the option to play through the entire game without killing anyone, but fans are understandably greeting each fresh announcement with a critical eye.
News of the most notable change so far came with the release of the first CG trailer for the game, which was narrated by Romano Orzari, the new voice of Garrett the Master Thief. For the first three games the character’s lines were provided by actor Stephen Russell, and quite a few fans were disgruntled by the change of casting.
A gamer going by the pseudonym Cloud Unknown has started a petition over atChange.org, demanding that Eidos Montreal bring Russell back for the reboot, and the petition has since gathered almost 2000 signatures. Here’s what the petitioners are signing:
Eidos Montreal; Square Enix: Bring back Stephen Russell for Thief 4.
We were promised that we will play as Garrett. The voice we’ve been given is not him. Stephen Russell, the voice actor for the first three Thief games, defined Garrett. Garrett does not have a defining face, it is his characteristic voice that makes him who he is. Change that, and he becomes another character entirely.
We’ve all gotten attached to that voice over the course of many robberies, adventures, and heists. Without it, Garrett is simply an impostor of his own self. A plastic Garrett lookalike. And so we urge the developers… Please bring Stephen back?
It might seem like a small thing to some, but it is not. Don’t let Thief go the same way Splinter Cell went, which had its main character replaced by a new actor after five games. It is like a slap to the face. We’ve gotten attached to this character. Don’t take it away. Stephen is a core part of the Thief series.
Thief‘s narrative director Stephen Gallagher and audio director Jean-Christophe Verbert have already responded to the criticisms in a community interview, saying that Stephen Russell was their first choice for the role of Garrett, and was even involved with the game’s early development. However, because the studio opted for full performance capture (meaning that physical movement and audio would be recorded at the same time) they found that Stephen Russell was simply not physically capable of taking on the role:
“Stephen was considered quite heavily. We actually had him in for some preliminary vocal recordings in fact.
“Being able to capture the voice at the same time as the actors’ movements and facial expressions, all while the actors play off each other, delivers a much more convincing experience than traditional techniques of recording each characters’ dialogue separately and then animating everything by hand afterwards.
“With the new visual of Garrett we’d created, we found that there was a disconnect that we couldn’t ignore between the concepted character and Stephen’s voice today.
“To answer your question directly, the actor playing Garrett needed to be able to perform his own stunts. Garrett’s a really athletic guy. We could have pasted Stephen’s voice on top of the actions and stunts of someone else, but this wouldn’t appear natural. It really wouldn’t make any sense to capture the full performance for our other characters, but not for our star.”
Voice actor Nolan North has sung the praises of full performance capture as it was utilized in the Uncharted series, saying that, by contrast, the work that he did on the Assassin’s Creed series as the voice of Desmond Miles made the movement of the character and the voice acting feel too disjointed:
“I wish it wasn’t done separately. Don’t get me wrong, the mo-cap actors do a great job, but there will always be somewhat of a disconnect when it’s done this way … The cut-scenes are shot exactly like a film or television program. The actors interact more naturally and unique and subtle elements to the performances are captured. Don’t think for a minute that gamers don’t notice. They’re a savvy bunch.”
This will be the first time that full performance capture has been used in the Thiefseries. In previous games, animator Daniel Thron created hand-drawn animated cut-scenes that featured a lot of silhouettes and shadows, and even in the third-person view there were a limited range of animations for Garrett. Almost ten years have passed, however, since the release of the last game, and it’s not only understandable but expected that the game developers would want to make use of the technology that has become available since then.
Whether you agree with the petition or not, there’s little chance that Eidos Montreal are going to take any action based on it. 2000 signatures out of their total target audience isn’t all that significant a number, and if the studio was ever going to change its mind about using full performance capture instead of mo-cap/audio booth recording with two separate actors, it would have been before they went ahead and completed the performance capture.
The petition also comes across as more than a little exaggerated, describing Orzari as an “impostor” and a “plastic Garrett lookalike,” and calling the casting decision “a slap in the face.” The Splinter Cell comparison is an apt one, at least, since Michael Ironside was replaced in Splinter Cell Blacklist for the exact same reason that Russell was replaced; the actor is now 63 years old and not capable of the kind of physical movement needed for full performance capture.
Moreover, the backlash doesn’t seem to be against the choice of Romano Orzari or what we’ve heard of his Garrett performance so far; the main criticism of Orzari is that he isn’t Stephen Russell, and that’s not really something he can help. It’s also a little insulting to the writers of the previous games to suggest that Garrett is defined by his voice actor, rather than by the way he is written. Orzari’s voice is actually impressively close to Russell’s gravelly tones, and so long as he does a good job of voicing Garrett, there’s no reason that the change of lead should be detrimental to the game as whole.
You can definitely say this for the Eidos Montreal team behind Thief: they’re not rushing the game out. It was originally announced in 2009, and is currently expected to release on PC, PS4, and Microsoft’s 4th generation console some time in 2014.
Rebooting a cherished franchise: it’s as close as a game studio can come to betting their future on a single project. But after Eidos Montreal‘s success in reinvigorating the Deus Ex series, they’re not shying away from continuing their streak. Next up for the developer is Thief, rebooting the classic stealth title for a brand new generation of players and hardware.
In the latest peek behind the scenes at the studio, those entrusted with the task of introducing Garrett – with a brand new actor in the role – talk about just how high the expectations are. Not just because of the franchise’s storied past, but how much more demanding players will have become by the time the game is released.
The video from PlayStation Access grants a longer look at those charged with not just rebooting, but re-imagining Thief entirely; Garrett may be returning better skilled than ever, but the experience must be a new one, not just a better-looking one. It’s interesting to hear producer Stéphane Roy explain that it isn’t just honoring the games and story that preceded their game, but making a game that lives up to today’s standards, regardless of fan base or history. As Roy says, “we are more demanding” in today’s world.
Listening to the creative team, it’s clear that the main priority is building a game that opens up the future for Thief as a franchise – they’re not doing this out of nostalgia, after all. That goal is ambitious enough as it is, but just to make sure they didn’t coast to the finish line, Eidos Montreal has set their sights on mastering one of the most pitfall-laden genres in game design: stealth.
They’re not traveling completely uncharted waters, with the most recent stealth title from Bethesda, Dishonored (with which Thief seems, at first glance, to share a few features) achieving both critical and financial success and, lest we forget, Eidos’ last reboot attempt Deus Ex: Human Revolution doing the same. Leaving the choice of action or stealth up to the player worked beautifully in DX:HR (boss fights aside), so it’s no surprise to hear the studio use the RPG in order to win skeptics over to their side.
Even though Eidos is already committing to players being able to play throughThief without killing anyone, they’re also on record as intending to make the game about more than just stealth. The developers have a difficult task on their hands, with shadows, combat, AI and the realization of their proposed game world all alluded to in the video above. The good news is they’ve got plenty of time to get it right.
For now we remain cautiously optimistic, given how well Eidos Montreal managed to not just breathe new life into Deus Ex, but deliver a solid game regardless of the name on the box. Doing the same for Garrett’s thievery may not be the gameThief fans have been begging for, but we’ll be happy if the resulting game offers a worthwhile stealth adventure.
Which news surrounding the Thief reboot do you find most encouraging? Their commitment to stealth, their technical prowess, or the lack of competitive multiplayer in favor of a stronger singleplayer experience?
Expect more details on Thief to arrive as the coverage continues. Needless to say, we’ll keep you updated.
… I see the game every day and I can tell you, this trailer is far from it…”
