Fan Backlash Over Watch Dogs' 'Downgrade' Made Ubisoft Change How They Handle Pre-Release Footage
Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.

Fan Backlash Over Watch Dogs’ ‘Downgrade’ Made Ubisoft Change How They Handle Pre-Release Footage

atch Dogs is a great game, nobody ever really questioned that. However, if you're were following the news from the gaming world when it was released, you'll probably remember the rather large outcry from fans that the game had been considerably, graphically downgraded in the time between its first pre-release showing at E3, and its eventual full retail release.
This article is over 10 years old and may contain outdated information

WatchDogs-Aidenshoot-618x348

Recommended Videos

Watch Dogs is a great game, nobody ever really questioned that. However, if you were following the news from the gaming world when it was released, you’ll probably remember the rather large outcry from fans that it had been considerably, graphically downgraded in the time between its first pre-release showing at E3, and its eventual full retail release.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Ubisoft CEO, Yves Guillemot, stated that the company has had to completely re-evaluate and change how they handle showing off pre-release footage of yet-to-be-released titles.

With E3 2015 we said, OK, let’s make sure the games are playable, that they’re running on the target machines. When we show something, we ask the team, make sure it’s playable, make sure gamers can immediately see exactly what it is. That’s what we learned from the Watch Dogs experience – if it can’t be played on the target machine, it can be a risk.

It’s a wise decision, considering how long the bad publicity lingered for Watch Dogs, and Guillemot continued to discuss how difficult it can be to get early builds working and looking the same as a final build would.

It’s a real challenge to create those types of games. When they come out, especially the first iterations, they are not perfect on everything. We think we launched a good quality game for a first step in a new brand with a new technology. It’s just so complex – seamless multiplayer, connectivity with mobile and tablets, so many things – it was maybe a bit too much for a first iteration.

Still miffed about how much Watch Dogs changed visually during its time in development, or have you buried the hatchet with Ubisoft and let bygones be bygones? Let us know in the comments below.


We Got This Covered is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy