Ubisoft announced today, via the publisher’s blog, that the crown jewel of the holiday season, Watch Dogs, has been fallen off to a TBA date in Spring 2014.
From the dev team’s official post: “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.”
“Our ambition from the start with Watch Dogs has been to deliver something that embodies what we wanted to see in the next-generation of gaming. It is with this in mind that we’ve made the tough decision to delay the release.”
So let’s look at the positive: UbiSoft’s got a track record on this kind of thing. Every time they’ve delayed a game has been for the better; look no further than Rayman Legends to see how much they can cram in with an extra six months’ work. And if Watch Dogs is gonna be the true debutante ball for the next gen, I’d take a little extra time to get the hair and makeup right too. So, philosophically, more power to ’em, game will definitely be better for it.
Of course, there’s the flipside: The PS4 and XBox One launches just lost their one true AAA ace in the hole. Yeah, you’re still left with Killzone, Call of Duty and Battlefield, but in terms of a brand spanking new next gen killer app that isn’t an FPS, Watch Dogs was going to be it. And we won’t see it till Spring. An ass, somewhere, somehow, will be chapped by this news. Meanwhile, the non-early adopter folks just did a little vindication shimmy in their cold, lonely living rooms.
Speaking of early adopters, for those of you who ordered a PS4/XBone bundle with the game? Retailers will honor them still, albeit with another game, if you desire (which Gamestop has confirmed) or by refunding the difference (which is Amazon’s play). Watch your email inboxes for updates on that.
Face me on the Twitter
Tweet me on the Facebook
