For what seems to be forever we’ve been inundated with Watch Dogs marketing. Everywhere you look – yes, even here - you’ll see an advert, a trailer or some other bit of marketing guff for Ubisoft’s open-world hacking playground. Thankfully, that’ll be winding down now as we make way for the the next best thing. It looks though as if all that marketing has been paying off. We already know that the game is doing pretty well, smashing the company’s sales records. It’s is now the UK’s biggest new IP launch in the history of video games.
According to Eurogamer, Watch Dogs has soared all the way to UK’s number one game. It’s done so by smashing previous new IP sales records, besting previous holder L.A Noire’s launch week sales by a rather sexy 58%.
It’s also become the company’s best launch since 2012’s Assassin’s Creed III, by a 17% margin. That’s not bad at all for a brand new IP…that we should now expect regular sequels of. The format the game was purchased most on, not surprisingly, was the PlayStation 4. It would probably be doing even better if the PC version worked properly.
Fellow newcomer, last week’s Mario Kart 8 is second on the charts, boosting Wii U hardware sales by a diabolical 666%. IT’s the second-best performing Mario Kart in history, which should be surprising, given that at the time of Mario Kart Wii’s release, everybody and their gran owned a Wii. Interestingly though, Watch Dogs has a 3 day sales lead on Mario Kart which was only released last Friday, so it’s safe to say that the plumber’s doing pretty decent business.
Now that many of you have had a weekend to get stuck in to Watch Dogs yourselves, what do you think of Ubisoft’s new sandbox?
Last Updated: June 2, 2014
FSR
June 2, 2014 at 14:09
The best “review” I’ve seen so far went along the lines of: “This game should be called Ubisoft Open World Game – Chicago Edition”. Which is apt in every way. That said, I’m a fan of Ubi’s open world games. So whilst there’s nothing all that new here, it’s a blast to play. Lots of stuff to do and fun to be had. If you’re not a fan of FC or AC, stay away. It’s literally those in a new skin.
Also, Uplay is devilware. Hate hate hate that we are forced to use a broken system.
RinceofFuturePast
June 2, 2014 at 14:09
Nice to see a NEW IP doing so well.
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 2, 2014 at 14:09
That alt-text, so punny.
Hammersteyn
June 2, 2014 at 14:10
Wish I could fight like IP man. That will show my mom.
RinceofFuturePast
June 2, 2014 at 14:10
0-O
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 2, 2014 at 14:12
I dunno hey, my mom’s wooden spoon style was pretty powerful.
Hammersteyn
June 2, 2014 at 14:09
Still have to play it, can’t seem to put Wolfenstein down yet.
CAE9872
June 2, 2014 at 14:28
I noticed that on weekend. Is it as good as reviews say? SPOILER WARNING – if you say YES then you know my children’s education suffers because of that…just saying 🙂
Hammersteyn
June 2, 2014 at 14:34
Maybe 😛 Still haven’t finished it
Jonah Cash
June 2, 2014 at 14:20
I love Watch Dogs, everything I wanted from it and more!! I am struggling to get myself to play the main story, there are so much other cool things to do!!
Oh and I want a Spider Tank, that thing is just awesome!!
Mikhil
June 2, 2014 at 14:27
Totally agree with you…except that Aiden turns invisible, and cars float away. This results in a restart. It has now hit a point where I can no longer progress. This is on PC by the way. When I have managed to play, it’s been a ton of fun though. Apparently a patch for PC is in the works so until then it’s back to Day Z.
Jonah Cash
June 2, 2014 at 14:43
I have it on PS4 so I am happy to report I don’t have any issues!! The game is fun, and people who don’t like it is just trying to be nasty in my mind!!
CAE9872
June 2, 2014 at 14:29
Dont ‘t lie – you FIFA only kinda guy! But I am glad to hear its good – hmmm tempting…
Right now still busy with ACIV – that should keep me going a while…damn its long!
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 2, 2014 at 14:30
That’s what she said.
CAE9872
June 2, 2014 at 14:31
Whahahahaha…I wish…
Admiral Chief Kilo
June 2, 2014 at 14:37
O_O
Jonah Cash
June 2, 2014 at 14:35
I told you I had to focus on the last 3-4 hours to just stick to the main story of that game!! I got bored after 20 hours, I like my games to end before 20 hours!!
I do like Fifa, but Watch Dogs is cool. I like Aiden, I have the same crappy personality!! My wife says I might as well have been a robot, so yeah I like him!!
Hammersteyn
June 2, 2014 at 14:36
Fifa games only lasts about ten minutes per game 😛
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 2, 2014 at 14:37
If only it worked that way IRL.
Hammersteyn
June 2, 2014 at 15:03
Most draws in a sport ever.
Jonah Cash
June 2, 2014 at 14:42
Yes but if you play 20 of them in a row it wins out!! I haven’t played as much as I would have but who can say that they play as much as they want to????
Jonah Cash
June 2, 2014 at 14:48
I have played 784 online games in Fifa 14. That is 6 minutes a side, so 12 minutes per game. 9408 minutes, 156.8 hours, 6.53 days…. It adds up very quickly!!! (And that is without the offline modes, where I am currently in division 2 in FUT)
Hammersteyn
June 2, 2014 at 15:02
O_o
Jonah Cash
June 2, 2014 at 15:02
My wife walked past and read that comment and she just rolled her eyes!! Hahahahaha!!! Played a lot more Fifa 13 though!!
CAE9872
June 2, 2014 at 15:09
And you say you “like” FIFA…
My wife is same with Halo – “all you do is play Halo – why bother having hundreds of other games?”
She just doesn’t understand…
Jonah Cash
June 3, 2014 at 07:03
Hahahaha!! Mine understands I bought a PVR so she can watch whatever she wants in the braai room, and I can play Fifa in the lounge!! She just gets pissed on weekends when I don’t want to stop playing…..
Nikola
June 2, 2014 at 14:49
Same get distracted so easily with all the things you can do:) Agree with u 100%
MakeItLegal
June 2, 2014 at 14:21
Wow Mario kart does wonders
Mark Treloar
June 2, 2014 at 14:26
I give between 5 and 6 out of 10
CypherGate
June 2, 2014 at 14:27
5.5/10?
Mark Treloar
June 2, 2014 at 14:33
No just a blurry number in between, kinda like my FPS when I got into a vehicle. 60? no 10? no 2? **** it, its something moving on.
Jonah Cash
June 2, 2014 at 14:51
I give it between 8-10 out of 10…. On PS4!! It is really sad that you PC guys and gals can’t fully enjoy this game!! I’m having lots of fun with the game!!
Mark Treloar
June 2, 2014 at 14:52
Its not just the PC issues. The story is pointless and the trailers offered for some of the content was a shiny gem but in game its a lump of coal. It’s insulting.
Jonah Cash
June 2, 2014 at 14:55
I like the story, I rushed to go and save that little kid…. Fell my ass off on a bike but stole a nice car and rushed again!!
But that is life, if we all liked the same things then the world would be such a shitty place to be!! And if we all liked what I like then things like Candy Crush would never make more money than anything let alone Nintendo!!
Mark Treloar
June 2, 2014 at 14:56
Have you finished the story. If not lets chat when you are done if you don’t feel insulted, then maybe its just me.
Jonah Cash
June 2, 2014 at 14:59
I don’t care about the end as much as I care about the road to the end… Man Nissan can hire me for their next slogan campaign!!
I have not finished it, hope I can live with the end!! Still enjoying the game though!!
lG
June 2, 2014 at 15:28
I think why us PS4 players enjoy it is because we are not spoiled for choice yet. I know when Destiny Beta comes (and eventually full game) and other main stream games who give better online options, my attention would be away from watchdogs. I even now find myself playing an hour or so and switching back to BF4.
lG
June 2, 2014 at 14:28
Love the game, especially hacking another player’s game. It is however annoying when busy with own little drive around and I hear someone is hacking me and I need to sort it out before I can continue my adventure, but fun none the less.
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 2, 2014 at 14:30
How regularly can/does it happen?
lG
June 2, 2014 at 14:37
Quite often, I have been hacked everytime time I played since I got the game on Friday. This is why it is annoying me. Uplay was only down yesterday afternoon, but got hacked 3 times during the hour of gameplay in the morning. When I hack, it takes less than a minute to find another player to hack.
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 2, 2014 at 14:43
Hmm I’d probably play offline then, wouldn’t mind if it happened every hour or 2, but that often would just irritate me.
lG
June 2, 2014 at 14:59
Yes, it is irretating when you are busy on your way to prevent a crime or to story point and get disrupted halway.
Mark Treloar
June 2, 2014 at 14:49
What platform? For me on PC it was painful, as soon as someone joined, latency spiked over a second.
lG
June 2, 2014 at 14:56
PS4, funny enough I got no latency, even when I joined an online race through the city with other players. I would expect latency on PS4 and not PC.
Mark Treloar
June 2, 2014 at 14:57
Yeah, mine was borked, shot someone and it took a full second before they dropped dead.
lG
June 2, 2014 at 15:06
That sucks, sound like my Battlefield 4 experience on PS4.
CAE9872
June 2, 2014 at 14:30
I am glad for Nintendo and MK8 – good news for them! Seems like stellar games can still sell consoles which is good.
oVgeeeeee Comet Drop
June 2, 2014 at 14:30
PC version 😛
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s–wav6ibt8–/p0cuokwkqerj2egr2il7.gif
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 2, 2014 at 14:31
lol, I just knew it was going to end in an epic fail while waiting for it to load.
Hammersteyn
June 2, 2014 at 14:35
dat slow mo
Admiral Chief Kilo
June 2, 2014 at 14:36
So true
Admiral Chief Kilo
June 2, 2014 at 14:38
So funny! But so sad becoz true… ;-(
Mark Treloar
June 2, 2014 at 14:42
Wish I had seen this before spending my money.
Admiral Chief Kilo
June 2, 2014 at 14:39
Any idea when PC version will be fixed?
Mark Treloar
June 2, 2014 at 14:40
Try never, well any version really except if its a budget title.
Brian Murphy
June 2, 2014 at 15:14
The PC crowd will fix it eventually.
Morne Nell
June 2, 2014 at 14:41
Ps4 version awesome can’t put it down. This is how AAA games should be there is a lot to do in this game. PC game been there done that, always a problem with ubisoft on some PC somewhere it will not work. Hey but that should be part of what the master race enjoy :):).
Greylingad
June 2, 2014 at 14:45
I’ve been playing since last week, with all of the hype smashing the game, it is actually quite good when you don’t consider how much the hype has contributed, essentially it becomes fun, but the driving though…let’s just say if ever a selling point had to be avoided, that would be the one element they needed steer clear of like a molotov close to an open fire…it’s really not that good…
Jonah Cash
June 2, 2014 at 14:58
But would this game have worked if your car took real damage? I don’t think you would ever get anywhere. I like the fact that my little car takes damage like a tank, and some of the cars I have tried was fun to drive like a maniac!!
Greylingad
June 2, 2014 at 15:18
That’s true! the cars don’t take that much damage, but even then, they could have done something about the actual driving mechanics… it’s skiing on soap when turning and when correcting for the oversteer it’s like driving a brick on cement, it just doesn’t go anywhere…
Greylingad
June 2, 2014 at 15:19
except for into walls, pedestrians, criminals and the like…
Nikola
June 2, 2014 at 14:48
I pre ordered this for PS4 and it is really loads of fun very addictive can play for hours not the best game I ever played but it is very good and if you are looking for a game that is long and will last you a while I would highly recommend this!
Matthew Holliday
June 2, 2014 at 14:59
Came here because IP man picture
Brian Murphy
June 2, 2014 at 15:14
Watch Dogs sales breakdown:
PS4 – 49%
XB1 – 27%
XB360 – 13%
PS3 – 9%
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/465547/uk-chart-watch-dogs-sets-new-ip-sales-record/
GodGamerDerp
June 2, 2014 at 18:18
Bu bu bu PS4 has no games!
Brian Murphy
June 2, 2014 at 18:30
Well, to play devil’s advocate here, that would explain the sales disparity. If the PS4 has no games, compared to the XB1, 360 and Ps3, then naturally, you’ll see a higher attachment rate from a compelling IP, such as WD 🙂
Though, I’m assuming the exclusive content and PS4-centric marketing campaigns had something to do with it also heh.
Wyzak
June 2, 2014 at 15:25
Having a blast in the PC version, mine is working just fine 🙂
Acornbread
June 2, 2014 at 18:13
I’d be loving it if I could run it without stuttering (which my PC is more than capable of). They really dropped the ball on PC optimisation here. They made a lazy port and they had the gall to congratulate themselves because it was ‘hard’ to develop for so many platforms. What a bitter disappointment. I was excited about this game for over a year, now every time I look at my phone I get angry because it reminds of this game. 🙁
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
June 2, 2014 at 19:18
Mmmmmm that PS4 Domination!
Darren Peach
June 2, 2014 at 20:21
True Story. I basically binged on this game. Got it the morning it was released. Played and played and played. SPOILER ALERT ! Got to the end of ACT 4, Beginning of ACT 5. The City is going Bonkers and I am supposed to hack three things. Tired as Fuck. Decide to Switch off for a Nap. And, Turn the Game Back on later and my Save File is corrupted………………………………………………! Needless to say, I was pissed. Did all the Missions to 100 percent ( Not the Drive Ones or the Drinking Game ). To add Insult to Injury, I can’t for the life of me connect my PS4 to the Internet. I know I have a shitty 3g Dongle and I share it through My PC via Ethernet which worked fine with the PS3, So I don’t have access to any of the Pre-Order stuff. Brilliant game, Felt Like GTA 5 but I prefer WatchDogs, Have to play through again. Big letdown on the Graphics front. Infamous Second Son looked waaaay Better. Still waiting for the Definitive Next Gen experience.