Watching for Watch Dogs has become a bit of a hobby here at Nintendo Life HQ, taking up the tactic of our canine friends that if you stare at someone — in this case Ubisoft — long enough they'll give in and fetch you that sandbox shooting / hacking game you always wanted. The publishing giant likes to tease before giving a reward however, setting a release window before patting us on the head and saying "well, let's just say TBC now, shall we?"
The company has been a cruel master, in that sense, though Ubisoft Mexico seems to have been left out of the "be inscrutable and mysterious" memo, as it posted a Facebook message — since deleted — with an 18th November release date and the message "the wait is coming to an end"; GamePad usage is unsurprisingly said to include a map on the touch screen.
Ubisoft is yet to provide comment, and as mentioned above the post has since been deleted. The delays to the Wii U version of Watch Dogs have, as we've argued before, perhaps diminished its appeal to a number of gamers; it also won't help that this date would have the title land right in the middle of the Holiday silly season, when a host of other major titles across Wii U, 3DS and rival systems will also be jostling for attention.
Are you still interested in picking this up, or are you going to leave this dog to lie?
Thanks to all that sent this in.
[source m.uk.ign.com]
Comments 52
I have this preordered. I have my fingers crossed that all this extra 'development time' has actually been spent developing the game.
I plan on buying it at full price day 1. I would have done the same for ps3, but I want to have off tv gameplay on as many games as I can.
Looks like this game is doomed, although we don't know the exact date of Smash Wii U it's bound to be around then.
Release it around smash, later than every other console, and for a premium price of course. Then start complaining the next month how few of those games you were selling, and how the wii U demographic is not interested in your games.
Yep, we know the story.
I've lost interest on this game based on the other console version
@NauticalCrimes
It's rumored that the gamepad screen will be used as a map. LMAO
On topic:
Don't forget that this will be the last "mature" game that Ubisoft is releasing on the Wii U according to them. So good luck to you all. I will be boycotting this game. Support this and 3rd parties will just keep bring secondhand/strippeddown games on the Wii U (late releases, No-DLCs, no online features, etc).
@NauticalCrimes HAHAHA! ... Sorry (for the sarcasm)
If the extra time has actually gone into making use of the gamepad properly, I'll buy it. But if it really is just a map after all this time, they can get stuffed.
Just show some loving footage already jeez! This game is a joke and I have little faith in it being any good now.
This delay — and Ubisoft's inexplicable silence — has been poor form to say the very least, BUT... along with Hyrule Warriors, Bayonetta 2 and Super Smash Bros, I'll most likely be all over Watch Dogs when it's finally let off the leash, regardless.
And you never know, if the price is right (£39.99, max), I may even grab it on day one! 'Stranger things' and all that.
Yeah. It seems strange to not show Wii U footage.
I guess its because they don't want to push people away with just how it looks.
I'm not going to boycott Ubisoft, because a game like this is a big gamble that is costing them millions. Plus, at one point Ubisoft had more games released on the system than Nintendo.
They're not showing footage because any tiny difference between this and the other next gen versions will be used as an excuse not to buy it by many. Not saying it's right or wrong but that's why.
@Kyloctopus — agreed, I don't quite 'get' the Ubi-haters. Sure they've mucked us Wii U owners around a fair bit (read: a lot), but they've also brought us some of the systems standout third-party titles...
Don't get me wrong, I'm not their biggest fan by a long shot, but I don't hate them either. And like @Kyloctopus, I certainly won't entertain simply boycotting them. That ain't right.
[NOTE]: If anyone at Ubisoft happen to be listening, I'd dearly love to add Valiant Hearts to that list of great Wii U experiences!
@AcesHigh73
They're the second biggest supporter of the Wii U after Activision.
A few poor choices: Raymans delay, Watch Dogs delay, etc. But I feel that they've put sufficient effort and given adequate support for the console as the system tried to find it's footing.
EA and co that released a few years old ports and then gave up are the problem. Ubisoft persisted and released a lot of games before they finally came to the conclusion it just wasn't financially viable.
Despite a few annoying decisions, I think Ubisoft have done good overall. If Nintendo can increase the Wii U userbase with Smash, Amiibo and whatever else, then I think Ubisoft will be one of the first companies to start bringing more games to the system again.
They obviously delayed this in order to work on DLC, for the other consoles. At minimum this edition should have all that DLC, built in or its rubbish.
Aww, what a cute picture.
Yet still no footage and all region dates may not be the same. Props for releasing it on Wii U second anniversary in NA if this is the same but why so late if it's a straight up port? No hacking on the Gamepad is a missed opportunity
Yes still interested depending on how good the port is of course. May not get on launch depending on smash brothers date. Will get at some point as not many titles of this type of game coming to the system and I'm in no situation to buy other machines. I really like my wii u and hope for better support next year but if not then so be it.
If they launch for 40 euro or less I might buy it. Otherwise I will wait for the inevitable price drop.
C'mon with with Watch Dogs, Ubi... You're making my eyes rain...
If this was released alongside the other versions, I would have bought it on day 1. But now, considering that the other versions are gradually descending into the inevitable despair of bargain bin purgatory, I will wait for a review. If the Wii U version only uses the gamepad as a map screen, I'll wait a bit for a significant price drop ($20 sounds about right).
I'm fairly excited for this, honestly. I've been wanting to play it for a while - if the extra development time was actually noticeable, count me in! Now Activision, can you take a page from good old Ubi and port Destiny?
@SageWaterDragon this is saying that the game is straight up port, Destiny would do better
Any word yet if the always online aspect is in tact? Im betting no.
No way I would buy this on Wii U, but it has nothing to do with hate for Ubi, but with reality. This game will have plenty of DLC, and probably a sequel, none of which will appear onthe Wii U. You would be buying an incomplete game thst will NEVER be completed.
3rd parties might as well abandon Wii U b/c they screw their customers anyway. I mean if a family friendly game like Lego Batman 3 is going to exclude DLC what hope is their for other more mature games?
That said, we'll still be getting Skylanders Trap Team on Wii U b/c that series hasn't screwed us yet. But the first time it does we're done.
Got this far whatever date is fine, it will always be later than sooner XD
I just really hope they won't dare to complain in case of low sales cause they are doing everything possible for make sure it will not sell well >_>
Still want it, that is all.
Hahaha, now that would funny. If all this delaying and postponing and "making sure that it's as great version as can be" is just in the end to have only map usage with the gamepad touchscreen, that really can't be all that they have done special for the Wii U version if it's taken this long?
Still don't believe that this game will be released on Wii U. That day will not come. Yves Guillemot will make sure of it.
This game got delayed on WiiU for so long to implement a map on the Gamepad? What the heck Ubisoft!!?
I'll definitely get it and hope it does well. Not holding my breath, though.
The sad part is that we'll never know what would have happened if it released at the same time as other platforms.
@PinkSpider Watch Dogs (Wii U) - Ubisoft is working on Wii U…: http://youtu.be/1OceGMxZwGU
Watch Dogs Wii U Trailer: http://youtu.be/z_SWoT831JY
There has been trailers at least for this. Now on the other hand Project Cars hasn't had on legit one.
The awkward moment when I added Watch Dogs for Wii U to my amazon wishlist November 16, 2013.
Pre-ordered over a year ago, still waiting...
@AcesHigh73 @IxC don't worry I'm not a hater, I just want this to be a fair debate.
The biggest supporters of the Wii u are surely Sega, with multiple exclusive games with all dlc available. In some cases free. Ubisoft deserve a terrible reputation with Wii u owners, not maybe boycotting them, but some kind of back lash!!
How many 100%complete (no missing dlc/updates/same time as other versions etc...) Games have they actually released? Even zombie u which I loved was riddled with game breaking bugs that didn't get patched for over 6 months and the delay on rayman was on top of it being promised as exclusive. Furthermore, having played through black flag on Wii u, the frame rate was TERRIBLE, crashed often and full of glitches- it was 100% the worst version available and to cap it all off had no dlc!
Let's be fair, ubisoft were the biggest 'launch supporters'....the problem is they couldn't walk away quick enough after. To show support with flaws then back off whilst pointing fingers at consumers for blame is the reason most have an issue, imo.
I preordered it on amazon since august 21, 2013…
@Spoony_Tech That's a CGI trailer,nintendo already showed that at E3.And really a trailer that shows no gameplay of the game ,makes you buy it? Come is going to be terrible,i hope they just cancel it already,so they can stop toying with Wiiu owners who actually are going to blindly buy it.
Hmmm...I've noticed one funny thing...Ubisoft's releasing Just Dance on the exact release day of Bayonetta 2, and Watch Dogs around the same time frame of Smash haha can anyone tell me what happens next...???
@midnafanboy I was just trying yo basically tell the point that the game regardless of the type of trailers has them. Project Cars has none. Something is better then nothing right?
Oh and did you even bother to check the other video I posted. If it's legit then that all gameplay. However it's so old who know what it looks like now.
I might just be the most optimistic person here, but I'm not giving up hope of seeing third party support for the Wii U and I never will.
I was a little disillusioned because of what EA was doing at first, but I played Battlefield 4 and Titanfall on the PS4 and XBO respectively, and you know what I realized? We're not missing out on ANYTHING.
The graphics on BF4 are so horrendous, even WITH installing the data on your hard drive. Textures take forever to load in multiplayer and more often than not the connection lagged like a beast and sometimes the entire map would straight up disappear and all you'd see on the screen is the backdrop for scoreboards post-match and a crosshair.
As for Titanfall...the whole experience is just meh. It's basically Call of Duty with parkour and mechs. I'm a pretty average FPS gamer but the whole experience just left more to be desired. Garden Warfare was more exciting than Titanfall.
I'll actually get this one day.
It's our last mature game, make it count!
@rjejr "3rd parties might as well abandon Wii U b/c they screw their customers anyway."
I got news for ya, they already have.
Meh, I might get it when it's on sale.
And just for the trivia, did you know that mexican stores sell games like a week early in order to get more sales? I hate their lack of commitment
@rjejr my friend i absolutely agree with ur statement and would like to subscribe to ur newsletter ;p
Honestly ive already lost all interest in Watchdogs…im not going to support INCOMPLETE games from any developer…besides im going to be too busy playing Bayo 1 & 2 to even notice.
As for this whole Turd party fiasco…im fine gotta alot of indie games im more than happy to support that are more interested in just making sum great fun games Xtype + and Cubeman 2 are the latest ive bought and are really good and deserve more sales
Its confirmed now.
@WanderingPB - "subscribe to ur newsletter ;p"
Yeah, I really need to learn to reel it in, I'm never going to be able to post anything on Twitter, it takes me 144 characters just to warm up my engine.
But if you liked this post you should read the one I just posted over here (which is actually the one I thought you were responding to, silly over-posting me)
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/09/watch_dogs_wii_u_release_dates_confirmed
@gatorboi352 - I'm still holding out for a future after Wii U sells this Christmas on the back of SSB and the amiibo and MK8 bundle where game developers realize X1 ain't selling either so they need to also put their games on Wii U to avoid a Sony home console monopoly.
Not betting on that future, just still hoping.
I love the sarcastic spin on this article. It's golden.
@kensredemption You actually think Third party support will come back? Really? They are gone man they left and they didn't look back and please don't say "But smash bros will boost up sales and bring them back". They don't even care anymore and if they did the ports they will make be crap. And next year send me a list of games that aren't published or made by Nintendo coming to the Wiiu.
Am I mistaken? Wasn't this originally a Wii U exclusive? This is better on the other consoles, Ubi, I hate you....
@Kuhang
Ubisoft says that Ninty gamers are not interested and leaves them entirely?
@AcesHigh73 : Don't forget the awesome Splinter Cell Blacklist which was very good online and offline.
I own 40 Retail games on Wii U, but Blacklist is the one i played most of them all. ~100 hours on Wii U version, and ~60 hours on Xbox 360 version.
If they bundle all the DLC and it has the same features and less bugs than the other versions I will get it. If it's a gimped port without the DLC and they haven't used the gamepad i will not buy it and why should anyone if that's the case.
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