Ubisoft Reportedly Ends One of Its Major Franchises Permanently
Ubisoft has officially ended one of its notable franchises, confirming the demise of the Watch Dogs series. This decision comes during a challenging time for the company, which has been grappling with declining performance in its most prominent intellectual properties.
Ubisoft’s Current Struggles
In recent years, Ubisoft has faced significant challenges. Established franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry are suffering from franchise fatigue. Despite their past success, these titles are no longer capturing the audience’s enthusiasm as before.
The company has encountered several obstacles, including high operational costs supported by one of the largest workforces in the gaming industry. Moreover, Ubisoft has struggled to launch successful new intellectual properties while experiencing notable failures in the live service and licensing sectors.
The Role of Strategic Investments
To counteract these issues, Ubisoft recently received a crucial strategic investment from Tencent. This funding is vital as the company appeared to be headed towards financial instability without it. While there is hope for restructuring and revitalizing some franchises, not all Ubisoft properties will emerge unscathed.
Watch Dogs Franchise Ceases to Exist
According to reliable industry insider Tom Henderson, the fate of the Watch Dogs franchise has been sealed with this latest announcement. The decision is believed to stem from underwhelming performance of its latest installment, Watch Dogs: Legion.
A Look Back at Watch Dogs
The original Watch Dogs was unveiled in 2012 and emerged as one of the most anticipated titles for the PS4 and Xbox One consoles. Released in 2014, it didn’t meet the high expectations set before it. The game received a Metacritic score between 77 and 80, which, although respectable, fell short of fan expectations. Nonetheless, it sold over 10 million copies, proving commercially successful.
The sequel, Watch Dogs 2, followed in 2016 and maintained similar sales figures but gained slightly better reviews. Advancements led to the development of a third game, which further complicated the franchise’s trajectory.
Watch Dogs: Legion was released in 2020 but did not meet the critical and commercial success its predecessors enjoyed. With a Metacritic score ranging from 66 to 76, the sales figures also dwindled, with Ubisoft only announcing that it sold 1.9 million copies in its first few days.
The Future of the Franchise
As a result of these declining trends, Ubisoft has decided to retire the Watch Dogs franchise. While a film adaptation is still in the works, it appears to be an investment made before the franchise’s decline. For many fans, this marks the end of an era for a once-promising series.
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